Merry Christmas!

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year! I love being with family and feeling that special spirit that seems only to reside in the month of December. We had such a wonderful Christmas this year and feel so blessed to have all we do and family who loves us.

Every Christmas eve we go to my Uncle Kevin's house for the big Christmas Eve bash! My grandparents, all my aunts and uncles, all my cousins, and now the cousins own kids get together. It is a ton of people but so awesome we get to see each other. This family tradition is my favorite and the memories we make each Christmas Eve will forever be some of my most cherished.




We start with a yummy turkey dinner. We sit and chat- the adults at the adult table, The older cousins at the Younger adult table. And the little kids at the kids table! After dinner we all come together for the annual DeMass talent show. We always joke about how everyone gets their arms twisted into doing something but really I think everyone really looks forward to it. This year Kaylee and Makenna danced with Ian and Emily, I sang and played the piano, and both Dan and I took part in the special "12 Pains of Christmas" song/skit. It was very funny as each of us sang something that was a pain at Christmas like sending Christmas cards, finding parkins spaces, putting up lights, etc.


This year a special treat was that my grandma and grandpa did a talent where they told stories about some of their favorite Christmas memories together. They had some really neat stories that I had never heard along with some funny moments that we all got a good laugh out of. I love my grandparents so much. I have always been very close to them and have a very special relationship with them both.



Finally we end the night with the DeMass family year in review picture show. I have been in charge of this portion of the night for the past few years. Every family sends me pictures from the year. I then take them and put them into a slide show with music so that we can all sit and see the fun things that have happened to each family that year. It has become a family tradition that is a lot of work but that I love to do because everyone loves it!





After the big party we headed home, watching for Rudolph all the way home! When we got home the girls opened their new pajamas (except for Makenna who had fallen asleep on the way home and refused to wake up!). Then Kaylee set out her cookies and milk for Santa. She always has to leave something out for the reindeer too as she is very concerned that they are hungry too. Last year we left some oats but this year all we could find was some celery in the fridge. I hoped that would do! Kaylee had written her letter to Santa the day before and we had forgotten to mail it. She was very upset that he would not know what to bring her so we made sure we left it by the cookies so he would be sure to see it! She was so cute as she wanted a soccer ball and a new doll this year.




I was so excited about how our Christmas tree turned out this year! We started the family tradition when we got married to get a Christmas Tree ornament at every place we visited together. Over the past 8 years we have acquired quite a collection of ornaments, especially after our Chicago and Washington D.C. trips this year. I love getting each ornament out as they each have a special memory of a trip or special time in our lives.


I snuck down after Santa came to take a quick pick of what the girls would see when they came down in the morning!


The crew waiting on the stairs to go down and see if Santa came!


For Khloe's first Christmas she got her first doll. As you can see she loved it!


Kaylee and Makenna had a great Christmas. They were excited to get new dolls and new purses (they are such girls!) They also got some coloring stuff, new coats and boots, a cute disney princess karaoke machine, and a little DVD player to use on our upcoming Florida trip. They were so excited with all their new toys and had a blast singing and dancing together with their new CD player and mics all morning!



After our little family's Christmas we headed up to my parents house for some more presents and a yummy cinnamon roll breakfast! The girls were ecstatic that they got to open more presents (by this time Kenna was really getting the hang of it!). They got some fun new art stuff, little trays to color on, some much needed new clothes, and Khloe got some cute new baby toys. It was truly a wonderful Christmas. We are so blessed to have the best parents in the world!






I thought these pics were so funny! Here are the girls later that night in bed and enjoying their new DVD player. Their little headphones are adorable and they were in heaven with their snacks and Toy Story 3! Merry Christmas!!!