My crazy fun Christmas

Christmas was SO fun this year. All my siblings were home except for Garry and Sheri. And they were talked about constantly, we really missed having everyone. But we had more of us together then we've had in a year and a half, so it was still a total blast.
We spent the 23, Christmas Eve, and Christmas day at my parents house. It was constantly loud and crazy and awesome. The kids were crazy cause all the rooms at Mom's house that the kids usually get to play in were playing host to all the out of town siblings.On the 24th we got a group picture of everyone there, we are a fun bunch. :)
And Me and Marshall and Keith pulled out our instruments and played a couple songs together. It was a blast, but even MORE fun when we all figured out how to play in the same key. :) But our lips didn't last very long I'm afraid.
Christmas Eve we opened our presents with all the cousins at Mom and Dad's. Kids got PJ's, I made Mark a quilt out of his H.S. T shirts...finally. It was funny cause I folded it up and put it in a box. And when he opened the box it just looked like one of his shirts. He couldn't see any of the seems. He looked at me like 'Why did you wrap up my old shirt...' I said pull it out. Then he was excited. Mark got me the music to Dueling Banjo's. YAY!
We got home, put the kids in bed and waited an hour before playing Santa. We got the house nice and clean and the tree redecorated in the mean time. It was so fun moving all the HUGE presents out of my room and in front of the tree. Mark also moved the couch so when they walked in they didn't have to walk around the couch, they could go straight to the tree.
Christmas eve I didn't sleep very well. I woke up to EVERYTHING thinking that the kids were going into the living room in the middle of the night. Nope, they slept great. Mark was anxious too, he didn't sleep well either. So when he heard Danton was awake at 5 AM he went in and got him and woke up Lydia, then sang Christmas songs to wake me up. I wasn't having it. Christmas at 5, shiesh. I was going to leave Danton in bed and hope he went back to sleep (which is not uncommon) Since I wasnt' waking up they sang louder and LOUDER till I came out. I'm afraid I woke up rather grumpy, but I shook it off since it was Christmas. I went in and started the camera rolling and Daddy sent Danton in to see Mommy. He headed straight for me...till he saw the presents, then he made a B line to the tree. Then we sent Lydia in. Danton wanted to open Lydia's cause she had 3 HUGE ones. And I didn't want him to open his big truck first cause I knew he wouldnt care about the others. Lydia didn't take any prompting, we told her what was hers and to open it and she went right for it. I had to basically open Danton's for him. Well at least till I showed him his big truck. He tore right into that. Later I realized that I didn't get any pictures of the kids opening their gifts and I was a little sad, but then I remembered it's cause I was opening Danton's not him. I was busy. :)
Mark got me a whole FAMILY of power tools, and they are awesome.
And his parents got me all the accessories when we went to their house for Christmas dinner. SWEET!!!
And of course Danton thinks my new tools are his. I think I shall try and find a play tool set for his birthday.

I got Mark Lord of the Rings extended version which he has wanted forever, a case for his lap top, and this:He thought it was hilarious. He calls it his Thunder Mug...
I did get several pictures of the kids playing with their new toys Christmas morning, they were so good to share all their toys with each other, and they still are....except for Danton's motor cycle that Lydia gave him. That is his FAVORITE.
After we ALL got naps, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's. First things first, we opened all our presents, Mark (like all the uncles) got a Marshmallow gun and a bag of marshmallows for ammo, and thus started the marshmallow war between all 6 of them that lasted about 30 mins. They were HILARIOUS.
And the little boys were having just as much fun watching all the action and eating all the discarded ammo.
It was a very fun and crazy Christmas. And a very long day. But it was a good day to be long. Sunday we did the Rone Christmas dinner and everyone went over to Mark's parents. Monday we went back to my parents house cause Keith was making Chinese food for dinner, it was so good. And then Tuesday Keith came over to see us and say by cause he left on Wed.
Such a fun busy and exhausting week.