2010 in Review or our Christmas letter this year

I know that most reading this blog received our Christmas letter through the mail, but I thought posting it was an appropriate way to wrap up our year.  [click on picture to make it bigger]

The Christmas Report

We drove over to Grandma and Grandpa's house on Christmas Eve morning so that Ronnie could go hunting one last time [he didn't see anything]. 

While the boys were gone, Aunt Sarah, Mama and Easton made a gingerbread house.  Easton loved the idea, but lost interest pretty quickly.  Here he is with the finished product.

After the big boys got back from the ranch, Uncle Jord-man and Daddy built a mini sledding hill for Easton.  To say that he loved it would be a massive understatement.

When Easton needed to come inside from sledding, we acted out the nativity. I only remembered to take a picture after it was all over so here is Easton and Aunt Sarah with his shepherd costume (crook to the side) and Sarah's angel halo.

Next, we ate dinner by candlelight.  Easton could not figure out why we had candles lit that we weren't going to blow out right away, but he got used to the idea.  After dinner, both Easton and Kendree opened a present.  I chose to have them open the gifts that they gave each other. 

Here, Easton is opening Kendree's fabric jingle ball.

 And Kendree taking a look at Uncle Adam before chasing after her ball again.

Then, Easton got to open up his gift.  Mama had made him a Super-Easton cape, which he loved!

After a few songs on the chimes, we got the kids into their pajamas and headed back to Cheyenne.  As expected, both kids conked on the way home.  Luckily, mom and dad remembered to set out milk and cookies for Santa.

The next morning, Easton woke up around 7:00 a.m. but he still didn't really "get" Santa this year, and we had to do some coaxing to get him to go downstairs.  [he was content watching cartoons in mom and dad's room].  However, the crumbs on the plate and milk residue left from Santa were VERY exciting for him.

Easton loved everything that he received and insisted on taking things out of the packaging before moving onto the next gift.  Unfortunately, Ronnie was running the video camera for most of the morning and since that made me chief helper, I neglected to take a single picture.  Shame on me!  After presents, we got ready and headed back over to Grandma and Grandpa's where more presents were waiting.

Easton had the drill totally down by this point.

 While Kendree was content as long as we gave her some wrapping paper to play with.

 And Easton was thrilled with his Lightening McQueen slippers.

Grandma and Grandpa Cali gave both kids their Christmas outfits this year.  You can see Easton's in the above picture and here's Kendree in her Christmas outfit (she's a little annoyed with the headband, obviously).

Ronnie and Easton got matching ties and here they are before church.

We had a great Christmas and the kids were spoiled, as per usual.  Now begins the monumental task of the toy clean-out/rearrange to fit the new stuff!

The homemade gifts of 2010

On Christmas Eve we let Easton and Kendree open one present each (as if Kendree had any idea).  I just happened to pick the presents that were to "each other" that mama "helped" them make.

First, Easton opened Kendree's present (from him).

 A fabric jingle ball! (which she loves by the way).  Mama found the pattern here which was referenced here.

 Then it was on to his own present.

 And he got.....a Super-Easton cape!  Ronnie was just barely able to get this picture and he did not stop moving once he put it on.  It was hilarious.  I'm attempting to upload the video onto the kids blog, so you can check there in a day or two to see his antics.

 And here's a better view.  This one I just made up and used an free blanket given to us from Jet Blue Airlines one time when we flew. 

Picture Catch Up

Here's some random pictures that never made it off of various photo devices (ipods, phones, etc.) for this year.