Our Christmas...

Wow!! Our Christmas was very busy but also very special. We spent time as a family (just us 5) but also with our extended family (both sides).
This first post is from our pre-Christmas activites, including Christmas Eve and it goes on from there...

At Nanna and Bubba's after the Christmas Eve service at our church. Every year I get to enjoy more of the service as the kids last longer before needing to be removed. This year I got to enjoy all the singing and the special music but heard the sermon from the nursery. Much better than last year when Mya peed on me 5 minutes in.

We enjoyed a special dinner with my parents, and the boys enjoyed sparkling juice in a special cup.

Mmmm, Ben and I's favourite, creme brulee and this time it was basil infused dark chocolate. It was amazing.

I was trying to get a pic of Mya in her Christmas pajamas but of course blankie is always in the way. Still you get the jist.

I LOVE this picture!!! It was totally a fluke, I took many after it trying to repeat or perfect it, none came close.

For the first time, Matt took the kids to cut down a tree. It was awesome, they had fun and the tree was so fresh it hasn't dropped needles all over the house. It is almost as tall as the ceiling. Ben did awesome reaching to put on our star.

It was hard to take a good picture of Ben in his Christmas concert. I think if you click them each you can see him better. He did awesome!! All the kids sang with so much heart and enthusiasm. We ordered a copy of the DVD of the whole concert and Ben can hardly wait to watch himself.

Christmas Morning

We always seem to let Titan go first. Maybe so he can take his snack and stay out of the kids snacks!

Mya definately enjoyed her stocking. She was smart to dump out the whole thing and pick out the candy.

I think I liked Jonny's hat better than he did, oh well.

Ben wrote a Christmas story at school to read to us on Christmas morning. It was very special.

Mmmmm, homemade buttermilk waffles with berries and whip cream. Ben and Jonny's request.

Three cuties!! We actually didn't start opening our presents until 10:30am, pretty impressive for three kids 6 and under!

I made the boys these housecoats. One benefit of homemade is you can choose fabric they'll love, and they did love it!

More gift opening. Gotta love Matt's face in the last one! A boys movie (Nacho Libre) from the girls.

Boxing Day/ Titan's 8th Birthday

Ths isn't the best photo, colour wise but I love Mya's excited look as we sang "Happy Birthday" to Titan. A year ago we definately didn't think he'd be celebrating another birthday but he's actually doing quite well, all things considered.

Very eagerly but also patiently awaiting his "cake".

Christmas with the Jansen's

2 Days after Christmas we had Matt's family over to open gifts. Sarah and I made some appetizers (wait make that lots of appetizers).

Titan was thrilled to also have company, him and Sadie were confined to the back hall and the back yard. Sarah had to work on Christmas but got home Boxing Day so her and Neil joined us.

Mya, Matt, Jonny and Ben with their favourite gifts of the day.

Neil brought the best gift of all, JIF peanut butter for Matt, which you can now only get from the states.