Stella's First Christmas

This year's Christmas was so fun.  It was Stella's first Christmas so it was fun for me to get her presents and also to get a picture of her with Santa Claus.  

Stella wasn't afraid of him at all and was as happy as could be sitting on his lap. I love the picture above. It is so sweet!

Drake didn't want to have anything to do with Santa.  He was scared to death and just pretended he was asleep!

We were grocery shopping at Smith's Marketplace and Santa was there. Drake didn't want to go and sit on his lap so Santa came to him.  It took a minute of Santa talking to him and then he was ok with getting a picture.

One of the Sunday's before Christmas Stella and her Daddy hung out in the foyer because she was being too loud for the High Priests.

The Sunday before Christmas we went to the John's house and decorated gingerbread men.  This is a fun tradition we have done for the last three years.  I love doing it and the kids love it too.

HA HA HA we gave Stella her first taste of something sour.

Josh had to work Christmas Eve so the kids and I stayed home and watched a Christmas movie and made yummy food for that night.  When Josh got off of work we went to Robin and Ted's house for dinner and some fun.

We read the Nativity from the Bible and acted it out.  Ted and Emmy were Mary and Joseph and Stella was baby Jesus.

Syd and I were the Shepherds.

Josh, Logan and Robin were the 3 Wise men.  I don't have a picture of Barb but she was the Angel.  Cooper, Drake and Capri didn't want to dress up and they were running around most of the time so I guess they were the sheep!

We decorated some Christmas tree rice krispie treats for Santa.

Josh read some Christmas books to the kids.

It was the perfect Christmas Eve because it snowed....and it snowed a lot!

We then went back to our house and got the kids in the bath....

...and let them open their Christmas Eve present which was new Christmas Pj's.

We left some treats and milk out for Santa and tucked the kids in bed.

My favorite tradition at Christmas time is new Christmas pj's on Christmas Eve.  My parents have always done this for us and for some reason it was always my favorite present to open.  I love pj's anyways but there is something so fun about opening new cozy ones on Christmas Eve.  My parents were kind enough to drive out to our house so that I could open my Christmas pj's.

We kept Christmas really simple this year.  We talked to Santa and told him that our kids didn't need a lot and that we wanted to focus more on the true meaning of Christmas.  I agreed to help Santa make a doll for Stella.  We named her Prissy.  She is really cute and I hope that Stella will love her.  Drake wanted a toy train and a toy train is what he got.  

Grandma and Grandpa Wood came down to our house Christmas morning and were there when the kids woke up.  It was fun having them at our house.  We have gone up to Pocatello when it has been our turn to be with them which has always been fun, but it was fun to wake up at our own house this year on Christmas morning.

Drake was so excited about his train!

Stella got a fun toy that she can stand up to and play with. 

Stella also got a pillowcase for when she can start laying on a pillow at night.

My friends and I gave all of our husbands the same thing.  We bought them tickets to a Jazz game and a gift card for dinner.  We were so excited to give this to them because it would give them a fun night out with the guys and we also got them pretty good seats.

I also surprised Josh with some pictures of our kids I had taken without him knowing.  I had them taken in their Aggie gear up on the A on campus. They turned out great and Josh being the HUGE Aggie fan that he is loved them!

After we opened presents at our house we went to Robin and Ted's to see what they got.  We also ate breakfast and opened more presents.

We hung out at Robin and Ted's house for a while and then went to my parents house to see my family and to let our kids open presents from them.

Drake got Woody.

Stella got a fun little toy that makes a lot of noise and the cutest night light I have ever seen!

They both got this fun little house made out of felt that fits over a card table to play in.  Drake loves his little house and I know Stella will enjoy playing in it too!