Christmas Memories 2010

I love seeing Christmas from a child's eyes.  It is so pure and simple.  They have faith in abundance.  

Their understanding of the story of Jesus birth is something that I strive for.  This was Lily's first Christmas and she knows about Jesus.  She knows that he loves her no matter what.  She knows that he will always listen to her.  She knows that God loves her.

 Emma and Meilynn at our Church Christmas program.  Walking up the aisle.

 Lily, Emma, and Meilynn in the Church Musical.

 Lily, Meilynn, and Emma before their school program.

 Lily in her first School Program

 Emma and Meilynn are in a music program at school.  This was their performance.

 They sing, dance, and learn about musice.

 We went to the Indian Wells to celebrate early with Grandpa.  He had set up games for all the (big kids) adults and the little kids.  Ummm, darts?  Is that safe?  The big kids had a ping pong tournament and croquet.  I am happy to say that Mike and I won the croquet, with our daughter Meghan and her husband coming in second.  And Kami our oldest daughter won the ping pong tournament.  This is no surprise since when we went to China last year she was asked to play against a boy who is on a ping pong team (It is really a big sport in China) and she beat him.  He was shocked!

 The girls had fun playing with their cousins.

 Daddy was in Charge of supervising the darts since he has the disabled arm.(Broken Scapula from his dirt bike)

 Everyone is a winner!

 Opening gifts!  The pillow pets were a hit!

 Grandpa Poma opening his new I-pad

 Meghan gave Meilynn a gum making kit for her birthday in May.  We waited until Meghan came home for Christmas to make the gum.  And of course we needed Meghan to be the one to make gum with the girls.

 I think at this point she was a little doubtful if it was going to work!

 They had to knead powder sugar in it.

 Enjoying their gum!  Thanks Meghan!

 Playing a game with Daddy during the Christmas break.

 It looks like a cookie assembly line.  We always have a mass cooking baking day.

 Aunt Debbie came over after work to help out.

 So many choices.

 Then we had a game night so that we could eat up all the yummy things we made!

 My sister Julie with her boys

 Three Angels wearing the American Girl nightgowns they got from Grandma.  We have a little one for Jilliana!

 The girls in the family

 Kami with Emma and Meilynn

 My Mom is going to get me for this one!  My sister Debbie, decided to play the Cookie Game.  This is where you start with a cookie on your forehead and try to get it in your mouth by moving your face.  No hands!

 My nephew Nick and Meilynn

 Of course Emma's could have no Chocolate.  Poor baby, she cannot even stand to smell chocolate!

 Lily getting into it!

 Umm, don't know what to say about this one of Meilynn

 Everybody eating

 Clean out the playroom day.  Meghan the great organizer helped the girls go though their things to either throw away or give away the things that were good.

 Mike at Christmas Eve Service talking to my Mom and Dad.

 The girls singing on Christmas Eve.

 All of my girls except my little one still in China.  Emma and Meghan (the two babies that have given up their baby positions).  Lily, Kami, the oldest and Meilynn.

 The girls chose one present to open on Christmas Eve. They chose to open the presents that they gave each other.  Lily got earrings from Meilynn

 Meilynn got a craft wear you make a frame, from Lily.

 And Emma got a "How to fix your dolls hair kit", from Lily

 Thankful sisters!

 Either Emma or Meilynn getting the carrots ready for the reindeer.  Sometimes from behind I cannot tell them apart.

 My Mom and sister Julie.

 Daddy getting the homemade spaghetti sauce started for Christmas Day.  He uses his Grandma from Italy's recipe.

 Christmas morning, waiting to go downstairs.

The reindeer were definitely here!

 Opening the Christmas stockings.

 Lip gloss for Lily

 And a microphone!

 Emma with her Rupunnzel doll.

 And the red puffy skirt she wanted so bad.

 Meghan relaxing.

 Kami relaxing

 Kami gave the girls an easy bake oven.

 Meghan made each of the girls a book.  Lily's is all about her first year home.

 It was a beautiful Christmas!

 Grandma with the Men in our family.

 My Dad with his sister.

 Aunt Claudia, Mom, and Dad.

 Our friends Mary and Debbie stopped by with Cher.

 Cousin Nick

 The women of the family.

 While cleaning the garage, we found this game that Kami bought when we were in Guilin for Chinese New Year.  People were all over the courtyard spinning these tops.  You have a stick with a string that you wind around the top and then let it go and keep it spinning by whipping it.

Everyone trying to do it.  Daddy was by far the best at it.

The day after Christmas we took everything down and then went out to the desert to ride in the Rhino and on the Quads.  It was a bit muddy after all the rain we had.

We had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.  We are the lucky ones to experience it all again through a Child's eyes!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
Love Vicki