Christmas 2008

We had a phenomenal Christmas 2008. We actually had a pretty drama-free holiday and it was quite enjoyable!

I'll try to chronicle our season in a condensed form for you...

Yup, mass chaos as we got together with my Dad's side of the family for a gift exchange on the 14th...












Jenn, Mady and I tried our hand at putting together a ginger bread house. Apparently, they are supposed to be a family memory building exercise. I remember building up steam as the silly thing wouldn't stay together. We laughed about it, and ended up eating all the candy till we were sick to our stomach and threw it away...Mady had a ball!


























The Sunday before Christmas, Mady and I were both in the Christmas drama during both services at our church. I was a military commander returning home (in a big Christmas card). I arrived home and Mady was supposed to run to me and give me a big hug and say "Daddy!" She did really well the 2nd service (the musical conductor said that Mady stole the show). The first service, didn't go as well, as she had to be carried out by "mom." I think she had a touch of stage fright that she had to overcome...























And then we were off to my folks house down in Charleston for a great Christmas Eve. We had such a good time hanging out and enjoying ourselves with my mom, dad, grandma and JJ (their boxer).

My mom made us this amazing quilt! The original picture was taken on our vacation down at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. We love it!


We had a nice little gift exchange, and then we tried a new tradition, FONDUE for dinner! I think everyone really enjoyed it, except Grandma kept dropping her pieces of food into the cheese sauce. We left around 7:30 pm and headed back home. Here a few pictures from the day...

Mady and my dad tickling each other...

Mady and Jenn taking a nap during the movie...

Fondue and throwing paper!

Christmas Day morning, we have a tradition of opening the gifts for just us. And then mid morning, Jenn's family comes up for a big gift exchange. Usually in the afternoon, Jenn's extended family comes over for more gifts. It's a big day, with minimal naps for the kiddos, but there's good food had by all and it's a fun memory making experience.

Here is Jenn and Mady seeing the fully lit tree and all of my gifts for the first time that have been hidden up to this point. Oh, and Mady getting a truck. She loves any kind of truck (dump truck, tractor, firetruck etc...)




















Below is Mady learning the power of money (yup they're real) and Mady apparently loves jumping on the big pile of wrapping paper after everything is unwrapped, and notice that she abandoned the dump truck for the true love of her life...baby dolls. Maybe we'll get a boy when we have twins...

















Jenn's family (mom, dad and brother) came over about 11. Mady's big gift was a huge kitchen set that Jenn's dad and I put together down in the basement. Of course, any good kitchen has to have all the fixins. Here's Jenn's mom and Mady opening the first of many "accessories." The other picture is Jenn's dad and I putting together this monster. It took us about 2 hours to get it together (the packaging said it would take 3 hours...ha!)













The extended family came over about 2:00 pm for yet another gift exchange. By the time everyone was gone in the evening, we were all pretty wore out. Jenn and I both fell asleep during our annual viewing of "It's a Wonderful Life" on Christmas Day night. We had such a good Christmas. Thank you to everyone who made it so memorable!

In the days following Christmas, Mady thoroughly enjoys playing with playdo and watching the birds and squirrels in our new feeder...