Christmas and New Years

We started off the season with a 'funny' white elephant gift exchange. It was really fun. We recently bought a fire pit thing and so we just do get togethers in the back yard around the fire. We had hot dogs and Stephens hot chocolate. The we did the gift exchange. Due to the economy we did a funny one. So you could bring something you found the last time you cleaned your house or something.

It was probably the funnest gift exchange I've ever done. Surprisingly there were no trades. Everyone was pretty happy with what they got the first time around. Here's the loot.

Funny thing is that this book was brought with me in mind. I've always said we'll have a little black baby boy one day.

Great minds think alike. Spidey undies and Iron Man undies made an appearance. Ours were better because they had candy in them. Bryce wanted to use a candy bar to leave a skid mark on the Iron Man undies that we contributed but ultimately we decided not to.
Santa Potato head.

Bryce got a sweet vest.

Then came Christmas day. I've wanted a beach cruiser bicycle for a while and Bryce got me one for Christmas. A PINK one even.

So cute.
It had to be a beach cruiser because when I ride it I sit straight up and it's easier on my back. I would always say. " when I get a bike I will eventually put a cute basket on it so I could take my doggies for a ride with me", and it just so happens that my new PINK bike came complete with cute wicker basket. My doggies like it. I put a blanket in to keep them a little warmer and away we go.

We spent the afternoon with the Christiansen. Poor Katie and Kevin had to wait until 11 to start opening presents. My mother in law got a super cute purse from her best friend which just happend to be the same exact purse that she bought me for christmas.

Katie got several books this year.

And santa brought the family several new games and a few dvd's.

Bryce got several things including some UGG slippers. He really likes them. I think he's hooked now too. I got him several gift cards to food places he likes. Outback, TGIFridays, Wendy's, Dell Taco, Barro's Pizza and Arby's.

I got several fun things too. Top on the list is my bike, purse and new phone that I bought myself thanks to Christmas money. I got the HTC Hero. I love it so far.

We filled my mother in law's stocking this year and bought my father in law a book that is so totally Chris Christiansen, it's hilarious.

Katie made Kevin a pair of comfy pants for Christmas.

For some reason it's become a tradition in the Christiansen hom that on Christmas morning we get and play with some kind of young at heart toys. This year it was Nerf guns. Here's the conversation that happend when I walked in the door.

Me: So, what's with the kid blocks and stuff?

Katie: Target practice

Me: K. but what's with th baby blocks? (thinking she was talking only about the guns)

Katie: Target Practice

Me: I don't get it.

then Katie just looked at me and we both started laughing cause it finally clicked in my head that they had set up the table with things we could shoot at for target practice with the Nerf guns.

Then we all loaded up and started shooting eachother.



My mom does Christmas breakfast every year. So we spent the morning with my family. Huge delicious breakfast.

My mom made everything but the bacon this year. Mama G did the bacon. She's wearing the cute new quilted apron I got her for Christmas.

Trigg played his new Leap Frog game all day. I just noticed his shoes are on the wrong feet.

Aahhhh the Christmas year book. Due to the size of my family we stopped doing presents for eachother a long time ago and instead we do a Christmas yearbook.Every individual family does pages of some sort. Usually including pictures and events of the past year. Usually it's pretty funny. This is what the family looks like every Christmas morning.

This is Jan, Greg and Dave reading the year book.

A few of the kids came with their new swords. It just so happened that we had a few smaller swords in our garage because Yousif, bryce's friend, left them here the last time he visited. So, we pulled them out and gave them to the younger boys.

The doggies are always a hit with the kiddos. I love the candid shots of them.

The teens were told they could chill in my moms room. Instead they chilled in mine and Bryce's room. It was a wreck to begin with.

Then for New Years my family got together for some snack and games. Snacks included Jan's home made sugar cookies, Apples with home made caramel apple dip, salsa and chips, Pistachio's, cheese ball and crackers, and artichoke and jalapno dip with frech bread.

Then we played a couple games and ended with a gift game. We roll a dice and if we roll a 7 or 11 you put on gloves and try to open the gift before someone else gets a 7 or 11. Whoever gets the gift out keeps it. Usually it's very hard to get at.

This year was no exception. Teeth were used.

We get really competative in my family.

Like I said, teeth and punching. There were 2 gifts this year. Licorice piggies, red and black. And a giift card to PF Changs. The gift card was taped to a brick to throw people off. I got the licorice piggies. I love black licorice.

We had a seriously awesome holiday season this year and hope you did too.