Christmas 2009

Okay enough procrastinating, I guess I am finally ready to post Christmas pictures- it just takes so much time to go through all the pictures I took and try to narrow it down! So, believe it or not, this is the condensed version . . .

Here are the kiddos on Christmas Sunday all dressed for church. I found the girls' Christmas dresses like in September, but LOVED them and couldn't pass them up!

We spent a couple of days at my parents' house in Escondido, including Christmas Eve. It's become a tradition in my family to do Gingerbread (or really graham cracker) houses and this year the girls got to be a part of the fun.

Russell worked with Morgan and Uncle Steven worked with Madylin. The girls really loved putting the candy on the houses themselves (although they put their fair share in their mouths as well)

Here is Morgan with her finished product

And Madylin with her masterpiece.

Of course it's not Christmas Eve in the Hatch house without the chimes. Dad pointed to the notes on the easel, and the rest of us hit the chimes on cue (sometimes) using spoons to play songs like "Jingle Bells" and "Stars Were Gleaming." We let the kids help a lot this year, so the songs didn't sound entirely recognizable, but that doesn't matter.

Morgan with Granna

See even Nathan joined in the fun

Here are the kids on Christmas Eve all hopped up on sugar and ready for Santa Claus to come.

Christmas morning was a blur. It started off slow and we let the girls open their stockings. They loved everything. It was great and we were cracking up because they got so excited for things like chapstick and stickers. They also got Dora panties (I think Santa is trying to tell them something) and Ponies. Morgan proceeded to try and ride hers.

Nathan just sat back with Daddy while the girls opened their stockings. We really didn't feel the need to fill a stocking for Nathan. Next year.

I LOVE this picture of my boys.

The girls got horses that they could ride as well as the little ponies. They loved the stick horses that Santa brought them. After they had opened stockings and their horses my brother got there with his kids and the madness began. The main present from us was at our house still, so I didn't know about anything the girls were going to be opening and wanted to see them open everything, but everyone just kept throwing more presents at the girls and I was trying to watch them and still watch others and open my own gifts. I didn't really get to see anyone open the gifts that we had gotten them and I don't know who gave the girls what, but they had a ball and so did we.

Again, we didn't really worry about Nathan this year. It seems like he just had a baby shower and he really doesn't need anything right now, so he enjoyed this hooded towel that Great Grandma Hatch bought for him.

After we finished opening presents we loaded up the car and headed to Russell's parents' house in San Bernardino to spend the rest of the day with them. We opened some presents with them and relaxed for a while until it was time to go over to Russell's Aunt Jolene's house for the BIG family dinner (and that "BIG" refers to the dinner AND the family!). After that we finally returned to our own home where the girls got to open their main present from us and my mom. This is it . . .

They LOVE it and so do we. I am so happy with it. Grandma Kinser got them some play food and dishes and they have been having a blast. It is supposed to go in their bedroom eventually (the final piece of their room before it is completely finished and decorated) but we like watching them play with it for now and they like to use it while I am cooking dinner and copy me.

2 happy little chefs!

So there you have it, one really LONG post about one really GREAT Christmas!