Christmas Wildness :)

A few more Christmas pictures here... My goal is to get them all up before the end of January! ;) Christmas Eve and Christmas morning were so much fun, although a little wilder than in past years with 15 people, four ages three and under. :)
Christmas Eve we went to Christmas Eve service. I always enjoy the Lessons in Carols service, although this year I was in the sanctuary with everyone only about half the time between the two girls. :) The church was so lovely though all decorated for Christmas and it was fun letting the kids run around before the service and enjoy the decorations. :)

We of course stopped by Grandpa's favorite house on the way home too... all the lights are coordinated with a local radio station and it was pretty neat. Evie was quite impressed even though they did not have a singing ferris wheel with a Santa, bear, penguin, and elf going around like her favorite house in Williamsburg did. ;)
No Christmas Eve is complete without the pickle hunt! Alana won among the great-grandkids (of course ;) I think she won before Drew and Evie figured out what was even going on :))...
And thanks Grandma for accidentally getting three pickle prizes so three of us grandkids could win too! :D (Me, Caroline, and Kate :))

Some very excited cousins... :)
At the end of the evening we brought up all the presents from the basement and put them around the tree. With 15 people giving 14 other people at least one gift, the result is a lot of presents. We have to keep them downstairs until Christmas Eve otherwise it's hard to get around the living room. ;) Here's the tree with most of the presents.

The kids were sooo excited Christmas morning. Evelyn was the last one awake so she was still a little in a daze during stockings.
    
What animals are going to pop out??? So exciting!! :)
After breakfast it was time to tackle the presents... :) Gracie was all ready!!
So were Grammy and Granddad :)

Our amazing matching aprons (and bibs for the little girls ;)) that my mom made!!
Look at this incredible advent calendar Kate made me!! Each pocket holds an ornament... the ornaments tell the Christmas story starting at creation and ending with the birth of Christ! I can't wait to use this with Evelyn next year! Thanks, Kate, for the amazing gift!! :)
A happy Chris (nice shirt too.... *cough cough* ;))
A happy Nathan :)

A happy Dad and Mom :)

A happy Evie with her new diaper bag for Ruthie, but you can see the dazed look beginning to creep into her eyes in this picture, but she was very pleased.
 
Basically there was much happiness all around for quite some time. Then the relaxing, eating, and enjoying the new toys phase began and lasted the rest of the cozy, snowy day. :)
Merry Christmas!!!