I finally got a new camera for Christmas so I have been taking all kinds of pictures to make up for all the lost picture taking time. We had a great time celebrating Jesus’ birthday with all of our family. Christmas Eve was spent with my family and Christmas day with Greg’ family (with a little mixing of both families both days).
We did our second annual gingerbread house making with the big girls. They each had a side they got to decorate any way they wanted

Christmas morning Caroline was awake and ready to start opening presents:

Caroline got a beautiful purple dress-up dress for Christmas. I think it was her favorite gift because she has worn it all day everyday since yesterday.

Greg’s big gift this year was a nano to listen to while running. We both got mp3 players to listen to while running… hopefully we will get to start running again soon.

So Greg came up with a creative way to give me one of my gifts. He made a puzzle for me to put together to figure out where my gift was. I actually had a hard time putting the puzzle together but it was worth it for my gift.

The puzzle was also a little hard for me to read in order to follow the instructions. Do you know where my gift was hidden?

It was behind the angel on the top of our tree, that I could not even reach when standing on the fireplace.
On our 9th anniversary I told Greg I would really like a diamond/sapphire ring on our 10th anniversary. So for our 10th I did not get a ring, but I did get some new running shoes (that I have yet tried out). For Christmas I did get the ring…isn’t it beautiful?
Eli and Elizabeth did celebrate Christmas with us but they were not a very active part of opening presents. They were content with letting big sister open them all. Also sadly Eli was sick during Christmas and just wanted to be held. This year Caroline got lots of dress-up accessories. Day after Christmas all dressed up for church. All the kids had matching outfits, compliments of their Granna and Popa!!! The whole family… never a perfect picture, Elizabeth took her bow off right before the pictures was taken and I don’t know what happened to Eli’s hair that it is sticking straight up in the back.

Just the kids, not all smiling but all looking at the camera!
First Tea Party. Elizabeth got her first tea party set for Christmas .. so they all sitting having tea party, ok Eli is watching what is going on while Caroline and Elizabeth have a tea party!