"Best Christmas EVER"

According to AL it was the "Best Christmas EVER"! She declared this over and over throughout the day. I must admit that I have to agree with her. We really did have the best Christmas. My family seriously can't remember a Christmas this past decade that we haven't had insanely sick grand kids over Christmas. Having a perfectly healthy family this year was the BEST gift ever. (Hooray for no trips to the ER or medicentre).

We always eat tons of delicious appetizers and desserts on Christmas Eve and this year did not disappoint. (There is a good reason that I suffered in the insanely cold wind and ran 4 kms before the evening began!) We read a great Christmas story and then had a fun filled evening playing a bunch of Minute to Win it Games. These are seriously the best games (everyone from super young to a bit older had tons of fun with it).
We stared out with a traditional game of passing the present while the music plays and then when the music stops the person holding it has to unwrap as much as they can with oven mitts on (about 15 layers of paper and boxes makes this tons of fun)

Next up was the Cookie game (get the cookie in your mouth with no hands)....highly entertaining!

Knock the pop cans over with deflating balloons

Swing the nose on the reindeer


There were several more games that involved ping pong balls, chocolate eating contest, candy canes and fishing. A fun time was had by all!

My Uncle has gotten the family P.J's for Christmas for as long as I can remember. My Dad was the only one who changed into his jammies as fast as the kids so he got in on the pic!


Christmas morning was a blur of excitement. It really gets more fun every year as the kids get older. They were beyond excited and had just the best reaction to every gift (well maybe not the clothes!)
AL came away with an amazing doll house (thanks to the grandparents and great grandparents)

JA went home with more cars and vehicles than one boy could imagine.

T and I were beyond spoiled as well.
My brother came out from TO which is always a highlight of the season. We usually only see him once a year so it was so fun to see how much the kids just adored their uncle and gravitated towards him! We miss him already.

The rest of Christmas Day was spent feasting on our traditional Christmas breakfast (my favorite part of the day) and then one delicious turkey dinner.
I feel truly blessed to have been able to make such great memories this holiday season, to be surrounded by family and friends and to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
I hope your Christmas was just as wonderful.