Christmas 2010....finally!

At our house, Christmas Eve was Christmas Day. Because we were planning to leave for Iowa Christmas morning and Eric had to work Christmas Eve, we decided to do our little Christmas a day early. The Eve of Christmas Eve we set out cookies, milk and carrots and had Christmas Eve be our present opening. This worked well as Eli then had time to play with all his new toys all day while I finished getting ready for our trip.

Eli's one of many Hotwheels toys...this one is the Monster Truck Jam:


New Hotwheel car:

Anna opening one of her gifts from us....she was very interested in unwrapping and pulling out paper:


We went up to Iowa to be with my family Christmas morning and had 2 gift opening sessions while there. It was great to be with everyone and we really miss them when we return home :( Eli loves all the attention from his Aunties, Uncle, Grandpa and Lola and is thoroughly entertained and showered with love whenever we are there.

Part of the reason we came up to Des Moines was to be a part of Katelynn Marie's baptism. I was asked to be her Godmother, which I was honored to be a part of!! Here are some pictures from the beautiful service, Christmas night:

Miss Katelynn in her pretty dress:

Anna loving Aunt Holly's necklace during the service:

Eli praying...how sweet!:

Listening to the words before the baptism:

Her baptism:

Entertaining the girlies during the service:

Fun time with Grandpa Bidney:

Katelynn Marie's family:

After the baptism, we returned to Aunt Sarah & Stephanie's house to have Christmas with Grandma Bidney, Aunties Sarah, Stephanie & Holly, Uncle Chris and cousin Katelynn:

Woody Eli (he has Buzz, too):

Uncle Chris is a HUGE lego fan. Here he is helping Eli assemble a lego Christmas tree:

Holding my niece, Katelynn....2 months old!:

Eli is such a lucky kiddo and got a brand new bike from his aunties and uncle....here he is closing his eyes for the big reveal:

"My cool Spiderman bike!!":

"Look, a Buzz Slanket to match mommy's!":

Christmas afternoon and also the morning after Christmas we spent time at Grandpa Bidney & Lola's house. A yummy lunch was enjoyed followed by chatting, eating, & playing. The morning after Christmas we enjoyed breakfast pizza, yummy coffee, and present opening. Any Christmas Story fans recognize this???:

"I am Iron Man":

Eli received MANY Hotwheel tracks and accessories:

Miss Anna showing off her incoming teeth!:

Waiting for her turn to open gifts:

Helping Grandpa with the fire. My dad likes to call Eli "boy" and would call out "Hey boy, how does the fire look. Does it need any wood?" and Eli would run over to the fire and yell back yes or no. It was too cute:

Oh-oh Anna, cousin Katelynn is catching up to you!!:

Anna & Aunt Holly:

And with Aunt Sarah:


Eli eating one of his many treats at Grandpa Bidney & Lola's:

Christmas with the Clarkson side was held on New Year's weekend at our house. Grandma & Grandpa Clarkson, Uncle Blake & cousin Sammie joined us for the traditional bar-b-que and opened presents.

Anna really enjoyed her new phone:

And sleepy time doggie:

Oh boy...Transformers!!:

Cousin Sammie, Anna & Eli:

Christmas was busy this year, but it was great that Eli & Anna could enjoy time with family. Anna had her first of many Christmas's and I am so happy to have our first Christmas as our little family of 4 :)