These kids were very excited for Christmas morning when they went upstairs to bed on Christmas Eve. We banish them all upstairs with strict orders that they aren't allowed downstairs until we give them permission.
The kids have always gotten up very early on Christmas morning, and although sometimes I complain about getting up so early, I really do love the excitement, anticipation, and magic of Christmas morning though a child's eyes. These years are flying by, and so I'm going to soak up the joy of children's laughter at 6:00am on Christmas morning.
I snapped a couple of pictures before we released the children.
This was our first Christmas with Bella, and she was very confused why everyone was awake so early. She barely moved all morning and slept throught all the activitiy.
At 6:00am on the dot, we gave the go ahead, and everyone raced downstairs to their stockings.
I usually follow the same method for stockings each year- socks, underwear, favorite candy, and a card game, puzzle or small gift. This year I also threw in some body care items.
Katherine was very excited with her joyride.
The kids stuffed Matt's stocking with his favorite candy and also with everything that he can never find because they use it- tape, pens, lighters, etc.
After stockings we started opening gifts. The girls bought us some sweet thoughtful gifts. I was surprised with these earrings that I saw at the Christmas marketplace that Katherine bought for me.
And Elisabeth bought me a silly candle that says, "Being your favorite child is a gift enough, but here's a candle."
Nathan also 3-D printed some thoughtful, cute gifts for us.
The Flamings always gift the kids books for Christmas and their birthdays. They introduced Katherine to one of her favorite series- Heidi Hecklebeck, and this year she received one of the spin-off series about Heidi's brother Henry.
She was thrilled.
Elisabeth and I spotted this new Junior Detective game at Target randomly, and I had to grab it for Katherine. She had been playing her other Junior Detective game all the time in the last few weeks.
I also saw this giant pillow at WalMart and knew that Katherine would love it, and it would look really cute on her bed.
One of the gifts I was most excited about this Christmas was Elisabeth's big gift. She always asks for experience gifts, and this year we gifted her a trip to her national basketball tournament. We went back and forth on spending the money and the time for her to go since she's still pretty young and finally landed on giving it to her for Christmas.
Just in the last week or so, she had been asking regularly if she could go with her team.
Her reaction was perfect! I'm excited to experience with her in March.
The kids were all grateful for new books from their cousins. They've all been introduced to some great books over the years.
We really shocked Nathan with his big gift. We got him an iphone 14. He had no idea and expressed so much gratitude. He didn't ask for it, but I had noticed him complaining about the battery life and some of the features of his current hand me down phone.
I love his reaction.
I also gifted Katherine a book light since she's been borrowing mine every night.
She asked for a Stanley water bottle too. Her big gift was also an experience gift- a shopping day for mom (she's been asking for one since Elisabeth received one last Christmas) and an ice cream date with dad. Samuel's last gift was a wood burning kit. He's my crafty one, and I knew he'd like it.
Bella was unimpressed with our Christmas morning celebrations.
After gifts were opened, I made our traditional breakfast of waffles and bacon. Everyone looks forward to it each year.
Katherine made a Santa waffle.
After breakfast, Katherine asked to play her new game, so we helped her with that. We also tried out a couple of the card games the kids got in their stocking- I Know, You Don't and Duck and Cover
Samuel wanted to try out his wood burner. He's pretty talented.
We played at home for a bit and then got ready and headed over to Barry's house for more celebrating.
After the Christmas concert, we continued our Christmas celebrations on Christmas Adam and Christmas Eve.
The morning of Christmas Adam we decorated Christmas cookies, one of my favorite traditions especially now that the kids are older and more helpful. I remember years when they were little, when it felt like too much work and too big of a mess, but they all do such a great job now, and all four look forward to it each December.
Samuel is our most detailed decorator and the most creative. I always look forward to seeing his designs each year.
They always turn out so cute. The Christmas trees are always my favorite to decorate.
The kids always enjoy creating gingerbread families.
A couple of years ago, we started the tradition of hosting a dinner on Christmas Adam with the Millers and Pashkovets. I make chicken noodle soup and we make a big dessert tray with all our Christmas baked goods, and everyone comes over and enjoys a meal, and we usually play some games.
Last year, Elena had the idea of caroling around the neighborhood, and we continued that tradition this year.
The crazy thing this year was that all the kids were wearing shorts, because the weather was so warm outside.
After caroling, they came home and played some basketball. Elisabeth also created a Christmas themed mafia game for the kids to play, while the adults laughed a lot playing That's Not a Hat.
It was such a special evening that we look forward to all year long.
Our Christmas Eve, our family had a cozy, relaxing day. Our tradition on Christmas Eve is to do our sibling gift exchange. The kids used to buy dollar tree gifts for all the siblings, but recently we began having them draw names in order to get a nicer gift for their sibling.
Samuel gifted Nathan a model rocket building kit.
Nathan gave Katherine a Bluey Christmas blanket and a volleyball.
Her friend Nora has been teaching her a few things about volleyball, and since she didn't have a volleyball, she was practicing with a soccer ball, ha! She was excited to own an actual volleyball.
Katherine gave Elisabeth Tapple, a game she'd been asking for.
And Elisabeth gave Samuel a book about Oklahoma scoundrels that they've been learning about in their Pioneer Spirit class.
They all gave very thoughtful gifts.
After they opened gifts, we all played Elisabeth's new game.
They also open a new family game every year. This year I gave them Quicksand, a cooperative, kind of stressful game. We played it a couple of times, but it felt a little intense to play for longer periods.
Since it was such beautiful weather, everyone was outside riding bikes on Christmas Eve. Wild weather, but no one was complaining.
We also attended our church's candlelight Christmas Eve service in the afternoon.
We came home and ate Manicotti for dinner. The kids asked to watch The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to close out our Christmas Eve, and it was a great way to end the night.
Our sweet neighbor Elena has started a tradition of hosting a neighborhood Christmas party each December. She invites several families from the neighborhood, and our neighborhood crew performs several musical numbers, the gospel is shared, and refreshments and fellowship follow. It feels a bit like a Hallmark movie, and one of the most special Christmas traditions.
The girls dressed in their Christmas best for the occasion.
We rehearsed as a group a couple of times the week before the concert, and did one final run through before the neighbors arrived.
Neighbors and best friends. What a gift!
Katherine and Laura sand "Mary Did You Know." They're getting so big!
Precious!
Nathan doesn't play much guitar anymore now that robotics consumes his life, but he dusted it off and relearned "Jingle Bell Rock" to perform with Daniel.
Samuel opted out of a musical number and read a scripture passage instead. The theme of the concert were the four songs of Christmas- Zechariah's song, Mary's song, the Shepherd's song, and Simeon's song.
The older girls performed a rendition of "Joy to the World,"
And then Elisabeth, Elise, and Laura sang "We Three Kings." For the grand finale, all the kids performed "Joy" based off of the scripture in Luke of the shepherds' song when the angels appeared. It was such a beautiful song. The kids worked really hard, and sounded wonderful.
After the concert, the kids enjoyed some treats, chatted, and played games.
We captured a couple of group pictures. It really does look just like something you'd seen on a Christmas movie.
What a blessing for these twelve kids to grow up together and make these memories.
