Christmas 2011

The weekend before Christmas we hosted my family.

Uncle Shane brought the boys Eskimo hats.  

Gotta love the BOB - the stroller that keeps on giving!  We dusted this thing off...just in time to use it come May for our fam!

We like our backyard to play soccer games

Our tree...5 days after we moved in.  Nice decor, eh?

Justin upgraded his golf clubs thanks to the golf-loving Birdie and Papa

Elise sporting her new 147 million orphans shirt

That Saturday night we headed Steve & Kerry's house for the Smorby Christmas event.

G-pa & G.G. with their two great-grandkids....it will be 5 come the end of March.  Aunt Elise has another bun in the oven and we will have officially two more kiddos on November 15th!

Aunt Joannie, Aunt Kerry, and Mom

Me and my pseudo sisters, Val & Gingi

Justin talking it up with Carter and his girlfriend Kayla

The whole fam, minus Amy who was in the hospital for pneumonia.  Thankful she came out of it!

What is some Morby without some fun?

We all brought $25 giftcards and had a giftcard exchange

Except for Shane stealing Justin's Chuck E Cheese giftcard and coins it was a pretty tame affair.  And yes, Justin ended up with the giftcard from Shane saw himself some Lululemon.

Sunday night we drove to the Hopkins new digs in Friendswood for a big ole family sleepover.

The Livesays drove down from Victoria, the Junods were in town, and all four families bunked at the Hopkins abode for a night of fun.

Derek reading to all the kids one of our Jesse tree stories for the night.

Pajama fun!

We had a one day breather and then the Michaelis' came into town to celebrate Christmas at our house, a first for Derek and I to host.  We enjoyed it so much, not traveling, going to church in Houston, eating great food, etc. that we said we would host anytime.


Tom, the fellow Chicagoan, is big on stuffing.  So Justin got to help with the stuffing.

Uncle Kevin was great with playing with the J man

 Grandpa and Grandma each gave Justin a book where they recorded their voice on it to read to him. He loved it.

 We were still lacking in furniture, so this was our puzzle table in the living room.

 Back to the stuffing.  Michaelis tradition that everyone in the family has to touch the stuffing.

 All to go inside the turkey...hold on while I wait for my stomach to come back.

 Justin's first Indian giver gift, though he didn't know it.  He bought Daddy Mousetrap....so that he could play it with Justin.  Great motive and totally innocent, but reminds me of the Christmas that Shane bought the whole family Dumb and Dumber for our group gift....

 The soccer goal from Grandma & Grandpa.  Played with weekly around here.

 We got invited to a party for Piggies and Paws and made the Micahelis an airplane since Grandpa was in the Airforce.  Papa & Birdie got a golf cart, and we got a soccer ball.  GREAT Christmas idea for grandparents and a fun way to use handprints and footprints.

 The turkey.  I can see that stuffing waving at me from the inside.  I still stick to my dressing.

 Lots of night spent out by the firepit.  My two new kids can't wait to do this, and we keep telling them cooler days are coming.

Thankful for all the ways the Lord continues to bless us.