Christmas 2011

Before we left for Iowa the kids (minus Timmy) and I made a gingerbread nativity. It was our own little Christmas miracle. The miracle was how well the 4 kids got along as they decorated the gingerbread. I couldn't believe how well it went. It was a wonderful early Christmas gift.


I had to include this picture of Henry and Oliver. Don't they look like great friends? This morning they were,but most of the time we were together they fought about everything! We're hoping they'll grow out of it.


Although we had a lot of fun at the Steffen family Christmas, I didn't get many pictures. But here's Grandma with her grandkids that are 3 and under. (l-r) Brayden (3), Oliver(3), Parker (1), Marshall (<1), Grandma holding the newest addition George (<1), Danielle (3), Henry (2)- he's under Timmy (1) and Ethan (2)- he's making a break for it.:)





I'm not very smart and somehow I've put Christmas before Christmas Eve, you'll have to forgive me. Anyway the pictures are of Christmas morning some of us, Sara (Randy's sister), Randy, Henry, Timmy, Parker, and Oliver playing with the Geo-tracks set Timmy and Henry got from Santa, as well as other fun toys they got that morning - Eric and Grandma are in the background, there.
Also you see Sophia with her doll that drinks a bottle, and wets. Thanks to Aunt Sara her baby now has cloth diapers (Sara made them).
Alex and Max quickly dug into their new lego sets and Mario k'nex race track. What to build first?
And you see our reindeer pancakes, thanks to Aunt Sara!!
There is a picture there sitting down to eat the reindeer, although I'm pretty sure the adults ate more than the kids, the kids had stuffed themselves on candy from their stockings.


This picture and the next should be flip-flopped. This is Christmas Eve night right before bed. Our kids exchanged gifts with each other, their cousins, Oliver and Parker, and had one for Randy and I and Grandma. Uncle Dale, Aunt Audrey, (cousin) Madison, Uncle Bob and Aunt Wendy were there for our little celebration.

Here we are at my dad's house, with all 10 grandkids. (l-r) Kale(5), Hunter(9), Caden(7), Henry(2), Brady(2), Addison(5), Sophia(5), Max(7), Timmy(1), and Alex (10). They always have a great time together.


We had Christmas at my brother's house this year for that(my mom's) side of the family this year. It worked out really well. We had a lot of fun opening gifts, hanging out, eating too much and staying up late. That is my brother's family, Joni (his wife) holding their son, Kale and Nick (my brother)holding their son, Brady.


On the left is my cousin Sarah, holding Max. And then is my younger cousin Emily and her husband Matt.They announced they're having a baby in July!! Woo-hoo! We're so excited!


We celebrated my aunt's birthday together. (It's officially Jan.2, but we figured the end of Dec. was close enough).


These 4 kidos played and played. They even were able to get outside in the sandbox for quite a few hours, here they are listening attentively to Aunt Joni read them a story.

We were lucky enough to be there to celebrate Parker's birthday with him. (He's my godson, and) We were so happy we could watch him smash his cake and enjoy his birthday party with him.



Unfortunately we ended our time in Iowa sick. It started with Sophia and Timmy on Friday. Then Henry, then me, Alex got sick in there somewhere and Max was the last of our immediate family to be sick. Somehow Randy never got sick. But alot of our extended family on the Steffen side also got sick and some on mine. Thankfully none of the 7 of us were sick for the drive back to New York.