christmas day!

please be forewarned:

there are ALOT of pictures!

we started christmas morning with the adults waking up before the kids

(except for hallie maybe)

which was good, because it gave us some time to get breakfast ready before the kids

came in

here are all the girl cousins before seeing their stockings

i have started a tradition to put

mittens and hats in their stockings each year,

i like it because it is something fun to put in the stocking and they need them

they also got some candy to start the morning off with :)

after the kids looked at their stockings,

singing happy birthday to jesus with breakfast cake,

a yummy breakfast of breakfast cake, pigs in a blanket, sausage egg casserole, and monkey bread -

our stomachs were filled and we got started on opening the gifts!

we open gifts one at a time in our family

starting from youngest to oldest

i love this tradition because it helps you focus on the person opening the gifts

and really enjoy each gift!

it does make for a long morning of opening of gifts!

duncan loved this guitar he got from emery kate

campbell opening this fun/spunky purse from aunt B!

jayden wearing the mask and cape from aunt b

(it was actually duncan's gift, but jayden put it on!)

jayden gave my mom this cardinal he made at school

funny thing is that he was suppose to give it to me,

but he insisted on giving it to mimi instead

even though i was a little sad :) i let him!

i told her she could give it back to me someday :)

B & hanj opening a nativity set

(which B collects)

love this

mary beth gave my dad this picture she drew of my mom

the cool thing about the picture is that it is made of the word "faith"

no lines, nothing but the word "faith" -

it is AMAZING

and such a great statement of faith!

campbell opening her first baby doll from us

i got it at fao shwartz in nyc

thought it would be a fun gift for her!

(trying to help her have girl things to play with instead of just trucks :))

jayden, duncan, and emery kate all got laptops

all of the kids

hard at work :)

i got jordan a sweater vest

looks good on him!

after gifts

we got dressed and started working on the meal

jordan carved the turkey this year!

we had one long table

the kids table

our family

love this-

we tried :)

the marable girls

hallie jane

pretty thing

the sudans

love this pic!

i think they look alike in it!

after a long, fun wonderful day!

amy and i were exhausted but

loved being together with our family and celebrating christmas and all it means!