Christmas 2014

The Evenhouse side of the family celebrated Christmas the weekend before the actual holiday.  We got together for breakfast--we had breakfast casserole, bacon, and I volunteered to make waffles.  I made regular waffle mix from scratch, as well as sweet potato waffles, and we had 2 waffle makers going.  I discovered that many of my extended family members do not get waffles very often, and they ate them like crazy!  I had to make another batch!

After breakfast we opened presents.  When the Evenhouses get together for Christmas, we open presents in order from youngest to oldest, and whoever is playing Santa hands out one present at a time, and everyone watches that person open their present before we move on to the next person.  We then had lunch, at cookies, cupcakes, chips, popcorn, and other food all afternoon, had pizza for supper, and then watched Guardians of the Galaxy.  I wanted to watch the NCAA Div I Volleyball Championships, but I was voted down!

Laurel found her present under my parent's bed about 2 minutes after we walked into the house.

I had put a bunch of books on my Amazon wish list, and Scott got me a couple from my favorite author for Christmas.  Scott is not a reader and doesn't understand my love for books, but I am thankful that he is still willing to buy them for me!

Tim showing off his new Chicago Bears snuggie.  I hope this is not Jay Cutler's number!

Laurel received a red sled, and her cousin Kendall got a purple sled.  This is Laurel having a bit of a tantrum because she liked the purple sled better.

Laurel's new snowman slippers.

Scott had to work during the day on Christmas Eve, so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.  We had our Christmas Eve candlelight service at church that night, and since nursery was not provided, my parent's came over and watched the kids while Scott and I went to church (we are both on the praise team, so it is difficult to watch kids while we are playing instruments!).  After church we opened our presents to each other before going to bed.

We dressed in our Christmas finery for church

What a dapper little gentleman!

What a pretty girl...who refused to put down her banana.

On Christmas morning we opened out stockings, then packed into the van for Road Trip #4 to Grandma and Grandpa Fender's house.  We made it in time for lunch, spent some time at the park, then opened presents in the evening.  Present opening procedure is very different with Scott's family--they handed out all the gifts at once, then it was a wrapping-paper ripping free for all.

The day after Christmas I persuaded Scott and Melanie to go watch the movie Into the Woods in Council Bluffs with me while Grandma watched the little kids.  What a great movie!  However, I learned that I should have bought tickets in advance, since at fancy movie theatres these days the seats (which are super comfy recliners) are reserved...we got the last 3 available seats for the showing, and they were not next to each other.

Christmas morning cheeriness from Nicolas!

Laurel did not even want to wake up to open stockings!

Hi Grandma!

I'm helping Grandma in the kitchen!

Melanie and Nate were really excited to get Just Dance 2015 for the wii.

The nice Hawkeye onesie Melanie bought for Nicolas

Nicolas had fun with his cousin Wesley

We tried to get a nice picture of Grandma with all the grandkids.  Laurel was not amused.

Scott, Grandma Fender, and Lance

We are now home, and don't have any road trips planned for a while.  The kids traveled really well, and Laurel has enjoyed watching a whole bunch of cartoons in the van.  However, all this traveling and being out of routine has made the children crazy!!  Laurel has been having tantrums, Nicolas is hardly napping, and neither kid is sleeping well at night.  I love being with family for the holidays, but I am now thankful for a few quiet days at home.