What a day! Christmas day was everything I could want and then some.
A couple of the activities that helped prepare us for and get us in the holiday spirit were making Christmas cookies with Grandma (Jen's) in Temecula. They also made buckeye drops which are peanut butter cookie doe (I think) dipped in chodolate. Zoe was especially interested in the dipping in chocolate part.
By the time they were finished she was one tired littler baker.
Check out all the buckeye balls, sugar cookies and other treats that
were made. Good job Grandma and Zoe.
Then there was a Gingerbread house making day with Grandpa and Grammie.
The Gingerbread house was a successd and Zoe was so pleased with it. She kept telling me that her mommy would LOVE it and be so proud of her. It's true, she does and she did. Gogo had some lunch and then watched the proceeding and nibbled on cheerios. As you can tell by his face, he enjoyed it.
Christmas Eve Steve and I headed to Simi Valley for dinner and fun with Barb and the family.
Grandpa (Larry) looked at on of Grandma's pop-up
books with Abby (Kristy's youngest) and Liam
(Natalies child #3, she has 4). They are very
special books so the kids have to be supervised
when looking at them.
Jason, Liam and Natalie at the dinner table. They
are leaving on the 27th for a new assignment
in Kansas. Don't know the name of the base but it
doesn't matter as long as they do.
Kayla (Kristies oldest) and Kayleih ( Cheri's daughter)
Cousins and best friends. Good combination.
Kayleih and Aunt Joan in the kitchen.
Here it is, finally, CHRISTMAS DAY
We loaded up the car with dinner, presents and Gidget and off we went to spend the day with Matt, Jen, Zoe and Gogo (Des).
Zoe was so excited to show us her Dora play house that Santa brought her. She told us she asked Santa for it and he brought it.
Then we brought in our gifts for them. The last one was a new chair for Zoe so we asked her to close her eyes because her present was so big Grammie couldn't wrap it.
It wasn't easy but she did it, with a lot of wiggling and giggling. Then the moment came and we told her to open her eyes . . .
THE CHAIR . . . SHE IS SO EXCITED
She is very happy with her new chair and spent quite a bit of time in it looking at her new Peppa Pig book. But it will take some time to make the emotional move. No problem.
bye bye old chair.
There were hugs and kisses for the old, well used, loved, cherished chair and it was going to go bye bye. Well, to make a long story short, we had to put it behind the couch so she could go to it any time she wanted. I made this chair for her first birthday and it has been her comfort place ever since. So we'll let her take her time and cut the cord when she's ready.
Zoe playing the harmonica that Grandma gave. We learned today that Grandma plays the harmonica so were excited to hear her play some time soon.
Des loves his turtle (or whatever it is). You put the little balls in the middle, push and button and they bounce, sometimes right out on the floor, or they roll down the turtles mouth onto the floor. Took him about 3 times watching Zoe put the button in the middle to make it go and then he did it himself.
See, he can do it all by himself. He's wearing the sweater that Great Grandma Ruth made him.
After all the presents were opened and we played for a while we ate dinner. Zoe helped with the turkey and all in all the dinner was really good. That's always a good thing.
Last but not least, a couple of three generation pictures. Des like to get Grandpa's cheek but I think he's really trying to get his hair.
Sorry this is so long but it's the best Christmas we've had for a long time. Just love our kids so darn much.
