Christmas at Home

Today we opened presents at home.  There wasn't a lot of gifts, just the ones from the Christmas shopper at school and their stockings.    But before the gifts could be opened the boys had to make their mom happy with a family photo.  

Connor was so excited to give Mike the car wash that he opened the gift and needed a picture with it.

Austin gave Mike a new pair of gloves

the best coffee cup in the world, right mom????

the twin's handmade calendars that they made in school

Brendan and Connor with the Webkinz they got for each other

Austin & Lucas with the gifts they got for each other.

the angel ornament Brendan made for us.

Connor with his chain saw...I wonder how long it will be before I put this one in the cabinet

the boys with their stockings

  

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

First Christmas Party

Friday night we had our first official Christmas party of 2011.  We head to G & G Van Dam's house for dinner and presents....tons of present for the kids.  Good Times!!!

fighting over the gift

 new sunglasses from Aunt Kelli

the erector set Connor broke the motor on the next morning

 patiently waiting for more presents

our third annual copy of super mario bros

 a bug house for all those bugs they catch while we're camping next summer

new sled

more books

 car washing supplies

new camping chairs

 Grandma made the kids all a pillow like the one they all love from her house.

 All the kiddos with their stockings

 and as you can see the pillows have already been put to good use.

our boys will not being making us rich...or would they???

We did something a little different for the boys for Christmas this year.  In lieu of a couple gift each we decided to do one big gift for them all.   So instead of just telling them when we open gifts I did something a little different...I gave them 12 gifts; each one with some candy or a small token and 4 puzzles pieces.  They slowly put the puzzle together trying the figure out what it was.  On Thursday night we gave them the last four pieces and here's how it played out.

 

 Mike and I were hoping for way more excitement than what we got...I really hope they aren't disappointed.  There was no shock, no disbelief, no jumping for joy, no super excited kids....we would never make it on AFV with our kids' reaction. BUT then again the funny videos never do win so maybe we would have had a chance if I had recorded it.

As you can see from the picture below there is a missing piece...that is Mike's fault.  I know of all my boys, Mike has to lose a piece.  I had wrapped the last four pieces individually so each boy could open one...Mike had them in his pocket when we went for supper that night.  After supper, Mike had to stop at D&W for the soda.  When we got home there were only 3 pieces left in his pockets...I did try and make him go back to the store to get it, but in the end we just took one of the other pieces and let the boys open them.  He thinks he threw it out with some candy wrappers.

So now I just hope the boys will get a bit more excited as they will be finding out a few more things about the Florida during the rest of our Christmas Parties.  Mike's parents bought them tickets to Legoland and my parents bought tickets to Disney.  So I really would like a little more excited from the boys.

Griffins Hockey

To start off Christmas break we headed to a hockey game...hockey's a favorite sport in this household and seeing how it's too expensive for us to the boys to the Joe Louis Arena we opt to take the boys to the VanAndel to watch the Griffin's.  We had a great time and made through the whole game, leaving during OT.  The griffins unfortunately lost but it was a good game even a fight or two.