Christmas on Ingle Road

Christmas Eve morning it's been a tradition of mine to do the 6 mile Waffle Run with my running friends from Lacamas.  The last few years Griffin has joined me for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and the Waffle Run.  He and I ran at 7a.m. with the club then Todd brought the girls and Brody up for the breakfast and we did our own shortened version family walk/run through the neighborhood.

Christmas Eve

Uncle Matt joined us for our Evening Festivities

Dinner, musical numbers by eveyone, even Brody, the Nativity and Mr. Kruegar's Christmas.

 The kids favorite part of the night is our Family Trivia.  Griffin came in 1st but Brody held is own on a few questions as well!

 The kids and I read a story Papa Trace scrapbooked himself  several years ago

 Every year these kids say "this was the best Christmas ever!"  Brody was soooo excited over his vintage lot of poseable Care Bears, 12 in all and his pillow pet!  Some of the older kids faves were:

 Kennedy and her American Girl Doll Emily

 Camdyn got a new ipod touch shuffle

 And Griff is content with 2 x-box games and a few clothes

 Brody was hilarious with all his excitement

 My big sister Jamie made me this beautiful quilt!  I was so surprised and honored to have such a thoughtful gift of love!  It will definitely get used in this "Drafty Old  House" (that's a line from It's a wonderful life)

 Beveryly gave us a new flat screen for our upstairs bonus room so our guests and all the kids and their friends will have no excuses to wanting to watch and play on the downstairs TV :>  I got Todd a memory foam gel mattress topper. He likes his sleep comfort.

 Brody's got all his goods packed up and ready to play the day away!

 Stocking frenzy!!!!

Todd had the house spic n span pretty much RIGHT after the gifts were opened.  I made Lee's french toast.  Kids played with their toys, Todd and I went for a lovely run and we went to see Gulliver's Travels with Matt, Tami and kids this afternoon.  Cheesy, but a good family movie.

Our kids are still telling us "thank you" for such a wonderful Christmas.  I love how it's filled with the spiritual aspects as well as the warm fuzzy traditions that I had as a little girl that make the holiday so special.  Now it's time to bed in for one more Christmas movie, a roaring fir, Joni's chex mix and then take it all down and start the sugar detox!!!!

Christmas gatherings

I work two days a week for Ryan Moses. I love our office and our staff.  All the girls get along so well and we have alot of fun together.  Makes the work day so much more enjoyable. Dr. Moses is the best doctor I've had the priveledge of working for!  This was our staff Christmas photo.

 Last Thursday Alli and Ryan had us to their home for a delicious dinner.  All the spouses were invited.

 Katie, myself and Tonya

 Todd said it was the best meal he's had in a long time....what's that supposed to mean?

 I'm letting each of the kids have a friend Christmas party. Camdyn had hers on the last day of school. It happened to be pajama day, so when 4 of her friends rode the bus home with her and got off the bus with she and Kennedy it looked like I was running a home for wayward children.  They had a blast playing games, having pizza and playing hide n seek throughout the entire house with all the lights turned out. Scary!  I let them stay from 4:00-9:30!

Holiday traditions

Take the kids to the Festival of Nativities every year. They MAY be getting too old to dress up....but my friend Carries's son wasn't and he's 17!  What a sport, plus Carrie's 2 week old baby boy is in the manger....how sweet.

 Brody playing with the nativities in the children's interactive area.

 Making sugar cookies with the kids

 Eating the fruit.....or sweets, of all our labors

 Sisters, Kenna is catching up to Camdyn.  Which means, Kenna is tall and Cammy is small.

 Brody and our "mouser" cat Daisy.  Why she is inside, I do not know.  When we'd thought she'd gotten carried off and eaten by racoons, I was sad.  Todd says I could care less about Daisy.  She IS doing her job however, so I love her for that.  Not a mouse dropping in site!

 Made darling Christmas banners with some of my girlfriends from the gym.

 Took the kids to Pioneer Sqaure to see the tree and Santa

 He was so sweet with the kids, even told Griffin to get over and sit on his lap...woops, forgot to upload that one.

 Mailing off an ever changing "wish list"

 The new Santa Land at Macy's. 

The Lake House......by Scarlette

Several weeks ago my good friend Scarlette (check out her photo blog) http://www.scarlette.squarespace.com/ took these family photos around our house.  She was so great working with Brody and got some adorable shots of him!!!! I love her editing and how the colors I chose went so well with our home and her classic styling. Thanks Scarlette!!!