Christmas!

We had such a wonderful Christmas! The kid's Oma (Manuel's mom) from Germany came to visit and the kids said it was the best Christmas ever. I took so many pictures that it will take a couple more blog posts to upload them all. This post has taken seven hours to put together. This is why it takes such a long time for me to update the blog. There is so much time that goes into uploading the pictures, putting in the HTML code to make each picture go side by side, entering the captions and uploading the videos to YouTube. Not to mention, the laptop that I use. With each system update, the programs become less user friendly. What used to take two steps to select and upload a picture, now takes four steps. I've been told that switching to Wordpress and a Mac will take care of all of that but the Mac is expensive and with Wordpress, I may lose formatting. So much to consider.

Well back to Christmas! It was a magical month and we had so much fun. I'm going to let the pictures and videos tell the stories. I hope you had a wonderful year!

At Gardner Village to see the elves!

These are the cookies we made for Santa. Cranberries and yogurt chips. Manuel couldn't stop eating them.

The elves watching TV.

He looks like Santa.

Do you see the elf up in the sky?

This elf sells Christmas trees.

The elf barber shop.

We ran into Santa while he was out shopping. He let us take pictures with him.

We ate lunch at Archibald's. I ordered the chicken pot pie.

Fried pickles!

Oma taking a picture of the pony.

The elves are skiing.

I let Oma have the front seat in the car, my soft seat at the kitchen table and my favorite spot on the couch. Nothing but the best for Oma!

Riding next to Gabe in the back wasn't so bad.

Oma brought the kids candy!

Right after she arrived from the airport.

He's putting makeup on their faces.

I think Manuel makes a better Mary than I do.

Gabe's favorite German decoration. It's a Christmas tree incense that smells like a campfire.

We made a snowman to greet Oma. That nights some teens vandalized it and stole the pipe.

I spilled some water on a shelf and it formed a hand print that was the exact size of my hand.

Snow!

Opening presents on Christmas Eve!

Tatem got a BMW from Oma!

Oma made him a hat!

The kids made Oma presents.

Christmas Eve dinner.

Salad

Pumpkin pies

Crab soup

roast beef and sour dough bread.

Driving through the Layton lights.

Santa stocked the kids' store!

Santa came!

Christmas morning.

She got a watch!

Minion cereal.

The skirt she wanted from Gardner Village.

A remote control car.

The Winnie the Pooh collection he wanted. Every character!

Clothes!

Her big doll house!

They got to share a present.

dollar bill tissues.

Oma got a stocking.

"Get out of my car!"

I love this picture!

I gave him a snow blower.

He gave me a bath robe and nice cooking pans.

Presents from Opa!

So cute!

Saving the best for last! Lagoon season passports!

Cambrey made this!

Tatem's pile.

Gabe's pile.

Paisley's pile.

Cambrey's pile.

Christmas breakfast. Pumpkin chocolate chip bread, pear apricot bread and sausage and eggs.

Playing the Christmas card matching game that I made for Gabe's school party.