christmas!

I always get mad on Christmas Day because I don't take many pictures, this year was no exception.  I really only have morning pics and a few from the evening.  The kids were super excited to open presents this year of course.  It was hard to capture all of their reactions.  We had a wonderful Christmas just being together.  Parker had been sick a few days before (he threw up in theTarget shoe isle) so I was happy that everyone was healthy for the day.

so excited...if only ains would cooperate so they could go downstairs

all of them

aust looking at his new bike

new bike

park with new scooter

hayd thrilled with her "just like me" doll

ains with her bitty baby

mcCall with her stocking

the kids went caroling in the evening...i love this pic

cally

girls

all girls

christmas eve

We had everyone over this year for our traditional Christmas Eve pizza dinner.  Everyone seemed to have a swell time.  One of the highlights is the nativity...this year we only had 1 Mary.  The kids caught a glimpse of Santa before they went to bed which made it hard for them to get to sleep.

dinner

sparkling lemonaid

mary and joseph

dramatic angel

the cast

christmas jammies

pre

this pic should go before the last one

christmas in sf

For the last couple of years Kambria has put together a fun scavenger hunt before Christmas in San Francisco for the kids. This year the kids had so much fun and were excited to spend time with their cousins.

pre-city

cally and hayd at the castle

the favorite spot was the video game place

hayd playing skee ball

park loves the santa hat

rainforest cafe

ains loves fara...fara not so much



hayd



awh....

christmas sunday

ainsley is at the worst picture taking age.  or maybe it is just HER stuborness.  my other girls LOVE pictures and will pose anytime andywhere as you can see.  here they are on the sunday before christmas in thier new outfits.  parker's sweater is a bit too big.  

without ains

only decent one of them altogether

dad and two girls

dad and boys and one girl

kindergarten party

The kids seem to have so many parties before Christmas.  Hayden was thrilled to wear her pjs to school to party with her class.  She is always excited when Ainsley can come and sit at her desk.  Ainsley as usual wreaked havoc and I could see some of the mothers whispering behind my back.  She just wanted to be treated like a kindergartener, that's all!  Hayden, on the other hand, behaved perfectly.  

Hayden at her desk with her friends Joshua, Eric, and Siya

making a gingerbread house (ains only licked a few of the knives)

almost done

two friends...ains is lucky to have have hayd to take care of her

the grinch

Parker's 4th grade class put on a little skit of "The Grinch" a few days before school got out for the holidays.  Park was so excited and had practiced and practiced his lines.  He has a hard time not smiling.  Here are somne pictures of him...he is the one with the green beard.

holiday program

This was ANOTHER program that the school put on for "the holidays".  It is so funny watching Hayden because she really gets into it.  McCall not so much.  Again I got horrible pictures and none of Park.

santa

Santa showed up to our ward Christmas breakfast.  Three of the kids were thrilled, one was terrified, and one was completely disinterested.  I really tried to block Jeremy out of the picture but #5 wasn't having it!

christmas program

It seems like I never get good pictures at the school programs.  There are always SO many parents and getting a seat where you can actually see is near impossible....unless you get there at least 45 minutes before.  It was a nice program and I really appreciate all the time and work the music teacher invests BUT they never even sang ONE Christmas song.  They do Kwanzaa and Hanukkah and every other religious celebration but never ANYTHING to do with Christmas...the holiday that the majority of the children in the school celebrate.  It kind of frustrates me every year.  I didn't get a decent picture of Parker to include.

Hayden

McCall

football banquet

Bears football is over for the year and Parker got to go to a "banquet" breakfast to celebrate the season.  Thanks to his amazing coaches he learned a ton and also made some great friends.  The coaches made an awesome DVD of the season which is priceless and I'm sure will be watched daily.

waiting

his name is called

shaking hands

his team