CHRISTMAS Picture Extravaganza

Merry Christmas 2009! We had an excellent Christmas full of family and friends and fun. We opened gifts in the morning with Grandma and Papa who were staying with us. They were getting ready to move here the following week and it was so nice to have them stay with us. After the presents we had friends over for dinner and it was such a wonderful day. It was great to feel the spirit of the season and of the Savior as we celebrated his birth. Here is a TON of pictures from the present opening. I didn't take any from the dinner :( but you can use your imagination!

My kids adore candy! Just like any child really. But I am a terrible mother and never let them have any. But on special occasions like Christmas and Easter I give in. However they were not allowed to eat it all in one go. In fact we still have some of it and we use it as potty training rewards :) I'm so stingy like that.

Madalyn really likes this movie. She is into mermaids and has been since she was very small. So cute.

This year Corbin actually remembered Christmas and what happens during this special day. He was especially excited. Madalyn got excited only after she saw what was waiting for her in her stocking :) CANDY

She had both of these suckers in her mouth at one point. She has a serious sweet tooth.

Corbin had no idea what this was, but it had Batman all over it and he LOVED it! Nate uses an electric razer so he has never seen anyone shave with shaving cream or a straight razer. We had to tell him what it was all for.

Madalyn got this pretty bag filled with costume jewelry from the Disney Princesses. She is obsessed with the Disney Princesses right now.

Corbin really liked it too :)

This is a felt book with little Lightning McQueen cutouts that "stick" to the pages. We thought this would be fun for church.

Madalyn of course got a Princesses one.

Corbin was so excited about this gift. He still loves it and plays with it all the time :)

My kids love books, and she loved looking at all of the pictures in this one.

Oh boy! This gift was the bane of my existence for a while. My kids had never really had gum before, but they got to be really acquainted with gum after this. (I still love you Trisha!)

That is a look of pure joy and a little spite. (Ha mom! I will get candy no matter what you do!)

This was by far Madalyn's favorite gift. 7 of the Disney Princesses! Wuhoo mom!

Yet even more sugar. Fruit snacks :(

Madalyn got Tinkerbell ones. Look at that face!

This toy didn't last too long. But it was very cool. It was a wand with a ribbon on it that you twirl through the air. Both kids fought over it.

Here is Papa's present! A proud Marine Beanie.

Here is Madalyn with her ribbon wand.

Aunt Chelsea got this super awesome Batman! Corbin was over the moon about it.

Grandma got a cashmere sweater and matching socks :)

She also got some very excellent memory foam slippers. Pink of course. Nate got some cozy pants to wear around the house. Unfortunately they were too big so we took them back and got some that were completel different. But he is happier.

These are Princess Dominoes! Wo comes up with this stuff???

A very handsome shirt for Nate. He looks positively dashing in it.

And some new slippers. His old ones were trashed. Dad has been losing a lot of weight so he needed new shirts. So we obliged. He only wore it briefly though, he just keeps losing weight. Way to go dad!

My mom found this shirt, it is pretty funny! Nate really likes it.

Here is Madalyn all decked out in her jewelry.

Here is the princess with her two tootsie pops! She made out like a bandit. We all did. But we also made sure to share our bounty with others and remember the reason we celebrate at that time of year.