Christmas Day

Christmas brings busy times for all. After the thrill of opening presents from Santa, we all showered, got dressed and headed to Pleasanton to spend Christmas with Darin's family. We all look forward to the wonderful traditions we share there. The whole family comes over, Scott, Kelli, Missy, Tyler, Kalin, Danny, Ashlee, Madix and us, of course to Robynne and Dave's house! First Darin and Robynne make ebeilskiever (a danish puff pancake-like pastry), which are absolutely delicious! We usually have mimosas too! We then let the kids open their gifts from Santa, Ms. Clause, Rudolph, Frosty and the rest of the family. It is amazing to see the kids open their gifts, it is like a mountain on wrapping paper, not to mention floor is no where in site. This year Darin wound up with the Ant Farm!! The Ant Farm is an old family joke that has been passed on for years, not sure exactly how long, but at least 15 years or better!! We all got tied up in the spirit of opening gifts and started a wrapping paper fight, which was fun...I think Tyler actually started it! Poor Hailey slept through the festivities, but eventually woke to open her gifts later in the day to join in the fun. The food was plenty as always. Uncle Dennis came over and we enjoyed his company, along with Craig, Danette, Kayla, Jenell, & Brett. We enjoyed watching old family movies, laughing and crying both. It was a good time. It is always nice to just relax and kick back at the Christensen's on Christmas Day. People come and go as they please, we always have so much fun! Good times, good memories, that is for sure.

Christmas Morning

We rose early, even though we went to bed late. The girls were excited just to see if Santa came. Once Sydney got out of her bed, she knew. Was is the candy cane path from her room and Hailey's room to the Christmas tree or maybe the bites taken out of the cookie that was left for Santa? Well, maybe the combination. Hailey joined Sydney picking up the candy canes, one by one, and then then their eyes just lit up, they were the size of golf balls when they saw the gifts by the tree. Hailey said "ooohhh!" and Sydney said "wow, I mush have been good!" Such an amazing feeling as a parent. We did good. Sydney saw her stocking filled to the brim and all the presents wrapped in Princess paper, which Santa left for her, including the Santa sack with her name on it and one for Hailey too, of course. Hailey liked her stocking stuffers, especially the slinky. She loved the Mickey Mouse wrapping paper on the gifts Santa left her, but really could care less about opening them. Sydney ripped into her gifts one by one, but it was the "Sleeping Beauty brush your hair" that topped it off for her! That was the ONLY gift she asked Santa for. Hailey enjoyed playing with the Mickey & Friends ladder by the Christmas Tree, again, she was perfectly happy with looking at her gifts with the Mickey Mouse wrapping paper. Sydney helped her open her gifts and she immediately started playing with the Mickey Mouse Lego set she got. The girls were really excited and thankful for all the gifts Santa gave them. Good Ol' Santa came through!

Christmas Eve

Our first Christmas in our new home, not to mention hosting Christmas Eve in our new home just really topped off the Holiday Season! We had my side of the family over for Unkie's birthday and Christmas Eve. The kids were all dressed up in their fancy Holiday clothes, it just reminds me of when I was a little girl getting all dressed up, even though everyone always came to our house, we still were dressed to the nines! Such fond memories and many more to create in our new home. Dad made a delicious prime rib, cooked to perfection ;Caesar Salad (made his own dressing and all!); cheesy garlic bread (just for Seanie) and had a ton of Crab (literally a ton!!). It was wonderful. We enjoyed the 15 different deserts Mom brought along with Grammies homemade Pecan Pie (my personal favorite), lemon pie, and banana pudding...even though we were totally stuffed from dinner. Laura's brownies...ummm, kind of found their way to the pantry (I DON'T SHARE!!) The kids, Sydney, Dillon, and Hailey (no O'Dell family this year as we have them every other year), were anxious all evening to open gifts. Finally the time came and they took turns opening 1 present at a time, which was torture for Sydney and Dillon. Hailey could care less, she got a glow worm from Annie & Unkie and she loved it. She didn't care if she got anything else. We had a wonderful time with the family and enjoying everyone's company. I can't even describe how amazing it was to sit back behind the kitchen counter and look out at all our family talking to one another and enjoying the holiday spirit IN MY HOUSE!! What an awesome feeling! Merry Christmas to me!!

Gingerbread Houses/Cookies

Every year, for as long as I can remember, our family (the women...Mom, Kim, Kristy, and I) make cookies while the children decorate gingerbread houses. This year we didn't do without, except we did them at our house! We had so much fun! We had Ashlee, Sydney, Tyler, Kalin, Dillon, Brenden, Hailey and some family friends over. The girls, Sydney & Ashlee had princess castles for their gingerbread house to decorate. Although the castles were cute including the pink frosting, they didn't stay together very well. Auntie Kim decided to use a hot glue gun to help they stay put, although that didn't work either. Between the hot glue and frosting, we finally managed to get them stay together. Tyler and Kalin had a a cool gingerbread house which included a gingerbread Christmas tree to decorate! Hailey and Brenden enjoyed popping by the table to snap a piece of candy from the "big" kids while sipping their bottles and playing with the Christmas tree and decorations. The kids ate more candy than they put on their houses, but it was all in good fun. We baked until we dropped, busy bees in the kitchen, although it is ALWAYS a good time. Lots of laughs and memories shared.

Christmas Photos?

Kids, I tell ya! Most of the time you love them and a some of the time you feel like pulling your hair out! I know most Moms can relate. I remember my Mom telling me (over and over again), you will get paid back some day for all the cheezy smiles you give me when I (or Grammy) try to take your picture! We'll Mom, I must admit, you are RIGHT!! I attempted to take photos of the girls for our holiday cards. Wow! It just didn't go so well! I am already behind on getting them out, but hey what is another weel to try to take Christmas photos?!! Wish us luck!

Hunt for 1st Christmas Tree in New Home!!

We are so excited and thankful to have our first Christmas with the girls in our new home!! It brings tears to my eyes, knowing that we will have a very Merry Christmas (with or without gifts). We set out to select a Christmas tree in Tracy. It was awfully cold, but we bundled up and went to the local Boy Scout tree lot. We looked for the biggest tree they had. We found the only one they had...an 11 ft. tree. That was it!! No Doubt! We loaded it in Darin's truck and brought it home. Darin and I muscled it into the front room where it stood in front of the window. It was beautiful without any decorations on it, if I might add, not to mention the smell, it was wonderful. It is "Officially" Christmas in the Christensen Residence!! AMEN!

Turkey Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Yes, we made our rounds again this year. We started off in Pleasanton at Grammy and Grandpa's, which Grammy was just cookin' away (seriously slavin' over the stove!!). We enjoyed Grammy, Grandpa, Auntie Missy and Uncle Dennis' company. Laughs were had by all, as it is typical at the Christensen Family gatherings. Good times. Then later in the afternoon, we swooped up Uncle Jeffe' and headed to the Family Club where we met up with Nana and Papa (OH and not to mention the rest of the gang...Great Grammy, Great Papa, Annie, Unkie, Auntie Kim, Uncle Scott, Auntie Kristy, Uncle Ray, Laura, Sean, Jason, Ashlee, Dillon, Brenden). We enjoyed a massive feast, it was very good. Even Sydney and Hailey had second helpings of Turkey. They are definitely our children, they loaded up on turkey and mashed potatoes, then we made them try the stuffing (LOL!)! Sydney immediately said "this is Yuck" and Hailey just spit it out. Yup, we can't deny them there. Darin and I both don't really care for stuffing at all. Not so much. After dinner we walked down to the "dog house" (which is actually the mud room) as Nana calls it and hung out there for a bit, until the wind just about froze us all. We brought out the room full of deserts, which is typical of Nana...too much to chose from. Sydney had ice cream with sprinkles, Hailey was fast asleep in Annie's arms, Dad had the normal Apple pie and I had Grammy's famous pecan pie. Delicious! We had a great time, it was a busy day.