I love Christmas!

Fabulous. That's how I would sum up Christmas this year.

A few weeks before, we were finally able to go to Zoo Lights at the Point Defiance Zoo. It was awesome! I was really impressed with what a great job they do. The Lintons joined us, which made it even more fun!

Everett and Camila all bundled up

This is a replica of the Tacoma Narrows bridge, complete with car lights. I loved it!

We caroled with the Morgensens (4th year in a row=bona fide tradition) and then decided that we should carol to each of the families we took goodies to. This year, actually, I skipped "goodies" and gave everyone a hot chocolate mix my mother-in-law gave me the recipe for. So much easier! Kelly's favorite song of the season was Away in a Manger; she knew every word and it was so cute to watch her sing at each house. No pictures of this, but here are some other random shots:

Sunday before Christmas...Max's response to me asking them to pose for a picture

Poor, patient Everett

Decorating our gingerbread house

Ummm...is he the most delicious thing ever to be in a Santa hat or what?!

Christmas Eve dinner was Surf n' Turf with the Lintons (3rd year=bona fide tradition). We had steak, crab legs, salmon, potatoes, asparagus, and a yummy salad. Delicious! Then the Kellys joined us for the Nativity. We almost had enough kiddos to fill all of the parts this year! Kelly was the perfect Mary and took her role very seriously. She was NOT prepared for it to be over and insisted we return the "manger" to the middle of the floor for her to kneel next to it after we had moved on to dessert.

Our Nativity participants, including a cow - Reyes insisted on being a cow

Handsome shepherd

Mary and Baby Jesus

A blurry and reluctant wise man

Mrs. Clause and her elves (Herself, Zelf, and Biff the Elves) did it again and delivered our Christmas pajamas.

Max's response to me asking the kids to pose for a picture...that kid, such a ham

Christmas morning is so fun! The kids were, of course, thrilled. They are at perfect Christmas excitement ages. There was a whole lotta ear-piercing squealing from our little lady. And one of my favorite parts of them coming downstairs to see what Santa brought was that Max stopped in front of Kelly's stuff and got excited with her over what she got before looking for his gifts.

A very exciting present for me was a gift card to Blurb so that I will finally make this blog into a book!

We lazed around all morning and then had to get movin' to pack up since we'd be leaving for Vegas at 2 a.m. the next morning!

Max with his Super Hero Squad men

Kelly, totally delighted with her stocking

The Ev Man, enjoying his loot

Handsome Husby making hot cocoa to go with our traditional German Pancakes

Hope your Christmas was just as merry!