One last Christmas.

We had our last Christmas party on Saturday.  We celebrated with my dad's side of the family at my parents' house.  We had a yummy meal with plenty of food - ham, salads, etc.  After lunch my sister and I put the 2 year olds to bed and we did our annual present exchange.  For as long as I can remember we've done a present game - everyone brings a gift, we draw numbers (hoping to get the highest) and then each person on their turn either picks a new gift to open or steals from another player.  It usually brings some good laughs. This year there were several trades done - people were going after the "3M box" (my cousin works for 3M and always brings a box stuffed full of 3M stuff - all kinds of tape, sandpaper, sticky notes), a box full of lottery tickets, a coffee grinder, Hickory Farms meat & cheese and a handmade shelf made by my dad.

Isaiah isn't old enough to be in this present game (but we did let him draw our numbers and picked the highest one for Mark!) so I brought a present for him and Levi to open as I knew he would feel left out.  He was more than completely happy with the little motorcycle that he got to open.  Levi was equally excited about the Matchbox airplane he opened after he woke up from his nap.  Funny how $2 gifts are just as exciting - if not more exciting than the $30+ gifts they receive.

I forgot to bring my camera, but I got my mom's out at the end of the party when Levi convinced my Uncle Tom to play My Little Ponies with him. 

Then Liahna got out the train set and had him play ponies and trains with them.

After while the barn made it out too.  The three little cousins were playing so well together.  They looked so cute and I even got them all smiling for a picture.

The above picture of all three of them motivated me to get a nice one of all three cousins together - my mom likes to have one like this for her office.  I think this one turned out pretty good.  You'll notice the couch cushions are off (and thrown about the floor as you can see in the above pictures), the kids like to take them off and jump.  My parents being fun grandparents allow this - and let them jump.  A good way for them to exercise, right? :)

In a few months it will be an even bigger challenge to get a picture of the cousins together as there will be a newborn baby too! 

So it's a little sad, but our Christmas 2010 is officially over.