Christmas 2010

We spent Christmas in Kansas with Joe's family this year.
As always, we had a great time.

James came up from Hot Springs and rode with us the rest of the way to Kansas. We were so glad he was able to come home for Christmas.
Both Joey and Kylah think very highly of Uncle James.
Here is Uncle James helping Joey hang up everyone's stockings on Christmas Eve. They all go in a row on the "trophy mantle" because there are so many of them! (I think we are up to 16 now (not counting Joe's parents), and we will be adding at least 3 more next year!!) Joe's mom has handmade all of these stockings. They are awesome!
We still hung up your stockings, Josh and Val and kids and Jeff, even though you weren't with us!

Joey loves having so many uncles who play rough with him!

On Christmas Eve, all of the Manthe side of the family came over (Joe's dad's side of the family).

Kylah was enamored with Mya, who is Joe's cousin's baby.
I think Kylah is more than ready to have a live little baby in our house! She's just like I was when I was little...always carrying around a baby in her arms, and when the baby is real, that's even better!

Joey and Great-Grandpa.

Kylah sitting with daddy and opening a gift. Joey and Kylah were definitely blessed by all of their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc this Christmas!

Kylah giving Aunt Susan a hug after receiving a My Little Pony.

These three were inseparable all week long (Hannah, Joey and Kylah). From what I hear, they spent a lot of time together and just loved playing together. It's so fun to see the cousins play more and more together the older they get!

We let the kids open their stockings and their few presents from Joe and I on Christmas morning. Then they had to wait for the rest for when everyone else got there later in the afternoon.
Kylah digging into her stocking.

Joey was pretty excited at how full his stocking was, since when he went to bed the night before it was empty. I think we've decided that we will tell the kids that Santa fills their stockings, and then everything else under the tree is from the family member that got it for them. That way they can still enjoy the Santa tradition, while still being grateful for whoever got them the gifts under the tree.

Kylah surrounded by her loot.

As you can tell, Joey got a new Superman costume from Joe and I. Here they are also opening Candyland.

Later in the day, Joey and Aunt Katie playing the Fishing game.

Nana and Kylah.

Joe reading the Christmas story in the afternoon before we all opened presents.

I love this picture because Joey helped Katie open her gift, and then when he realized it was a diaper, he made this face...

The three little ones opening their gifts.

One of Joey's favorite toys. DJ turns color when you move him from cold water to hot water.

Grandpa's job is always to get the gifts out of their packaging.

Kylah opening her gift from Aunt Kris.

I didn't get a great picture of this, but this is definitely Joey's favorite gift of the year. It is a penguin Pillow Pet from Grammy. He has been talking about a pillow pet for a few months now (it must be all the rage at his preschool...) I hinted to Grammy that this might be a good thing to get him, and she didn't disappoint. When he opened it, he jumped up and down like he had just won a big game. He was so excited. Since then, he has not let his Pillow Pet (whom he's named Petey for now) out of his sight, except for school. Kylah got one too, a bumble bee, that Joey makes sure she has with her at all times as well. It's adorable.

Kylah got a new doll (to add to her collection). But now this new doll has become one of her favorites along with her little baby and baby Emma. I keep asking her if this one has a name, but so far she doesn't seem to.

Nana always has a few new pairs of jammies for the kids when they go to visit. Here are some Woody jammies that Joey was excited to wear.

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Back at home, we (and by we, I mean Joe and James) were able to finish putting together the bunk beds on Sunday night so the kids could sleep in them. The kids are loving their new beds and blankets. They almost enjoy going to bed right now.
This isn't the greatest picture, but it gives you an idea of what their beds look like. (I'm not physically able to get up to the top bunk to make the bed nicely right now!) :) I had a really hard time finding matching bedspreads that were for boy/girl, but finally found these gems at Ikea for really cheap!

Kylah is loving her new bed with it's pink sheets. :)

Joey just looked adorable to me tonight, so I had to snap his picture. :)

We had a great Christmas with the Manthe family. We definitely missed those that weren't there: Josh, Val, Mackenzie, Bella and Deacon, and Uncle Jeff. We were able to Skype with Josh and Val and kids on Christmas evening, so that was great. And Jeff had a good excuse this year, because he went to Indiana to propose to his girlfriend, Carisa. She said yes! We are so excited for the two of them.