Merry Merry

Merry Christmas! Late.  I know. 



Christmas Eve started with homemade pizza, dough, sauce, ultimately homemade.  It was yummy.



Chaney had determined that we should leave Santa pizza and cream puffs because he probably gets a lot of cookies.  So we did.



Then I attempted to get some Christmas Eve photos of my happy little children.  That went really well.  Eryn was recovering from a little flu from the day before.  Most of the symptoms had gone away, the only one that remained was whining so I think she wasn't quite back to herself.



They were really excited when they got to go to bed and Mom quit taking pictures of them.

 

Then all was quiet for the rest of the evening.  And when morning came, my children did not wake in excitement.  I had to wake them up.  And they cried and pleaded to be allowed to go back to sleep.  And I thought in my head, what is wrong with children today.  They don't even jump out of bed on Christmas morning.  I'm must have done something wrong.



But they did eventually get up.  And there was unwrapping of presents, and joy and excitement and all the fun that presents bring.



If you think this is crazy hair.  You haven't seen anything.  She was also sick this week and her hair didn't get brushed for about three days.  It was insane.  Took 45 minutes to brush out.  So in comparison, this looks like she had a stylist.



Eryn posing with her new barbie.  She was told to hold it up next to her face and smile.



Then it was over to Mom and Dad's for some general fun, family time.  Dave and Judah chillin.



Keighley and Adam.  I can't help but be moved by the love and adoration for Keighley that just beams on Adam's face. In Adam's defense, judging by the glee on Keighley's face, she was probably tormenting him.



I helped mom with dinner.  Here's the rib roast.  A special holiday treat and my idea of heaven.  Cow is still my favorite animal to eat.



Bread I baked the day before.  I found the best recipe for white bread ever.  I use it all the time. And that's actually what the recipe is called.  The Best White Bread Ever.



Ten pounds of potatoes, and a green bean casserole later.  It was really yummy.



And for Jesus Birthday Cake, Hummingbird.  One of my favorites.  I made this the day before too.  It's better if it chills for awhile. And in between we did what my family loves more than anything.  We competed.  Everything from who can drink the most coffee, board games, card games, Mafia.  Everything is a friendly competition.  Well mostly friendly.  Cole.  



And after dinner, we did the usual.  Sat around in the living room, drank coffee, and leg wrestled.

The culmination of our competitions was a leg wrestling tournament.  The benefit of having 9 siblings.  You can play team sports with just your family and have tournaments that involve brackets.  If you've never had the opportunity to be involved in this sport, you are missing out.  The great thing about it is if you lose, not only do you suffer the agony of defeat, but you also suffer the physical pain and humiliation of being hurled backwards across the room.  It's such fun.  You should try it.  However, we really should change the name from leg wrestling to "Watch Cole Injure People."  He's the undefeated, reigning champion.  It's cause his four foot long legs are like steel traps.  Anyway, he won again. 

And to top it all off, there was snow.  And not even enough to be annoying, just enough to be lovely. 

Christmas 2010= Very Merry.  Hope yours was too.