Wrapping Up 2012

Happy New Year's Eve!  I've been sitting on the couch since 5:30 or so updating this blog with all our Christmas celebrations.  We dropped Shelby off at a sleep over and the rest of us went to the video store.  Morgan picked out The Muppets and I picked out something for Nate and I.  It is currently 11:15.  The Muppets has been watched and an episode of FHV.  We ate vanilla ice cream with crushed candy canes.  Morgan is reading over my shoulder and not acting even slightly tired.  I am rushing to get this posted before my battery dies or we move into 2013.  Hard to believe another year has passed us by!  I don't know about the 6 year old but I am not going to make it much longer to watch the movie.  Lots to do in 2013 including back updates to this ole blog.  Happy New Year everyone.  Thanks for reading!

Celebrating Christmas - Young

On Sunday we celebrated with Nate's mom and Jay and his step brother Tony and family.  We have brunch and by far the most relaxing celebration.  I do not have a lot of pictures.  Before opening gifts the kids took turns reading parts of the Christmas story.

Nonny Mary came up with creative ways for Al, Ashley (Tony's daughter) and Nate to get their gifts of 25 $1 bills.  Al left the room and each of us took some of the bills.  We hid them and he had to ask each person if they have seen Mr. Washington?  If we had we would give him 1 of our dollars.  He did this until he collected all 25.  Ashley had to fill in the blanks to nursery rhymes since she is expecting a baby in July.  She got a $1 for every blank she guessed right.  Nate had to answer trivia questions about baseball to get his $25 that was spread out amongst the rest of us.  So we had fun with all of that.  The kids opened a few gifts because our main gifts are beef for the freezer and homemade applesauce.  And instead of buying a bunch of gifts we make a donation to a charity or family in need.  This year it was Nate's and my turn to pick.  This wrapped up our time with our Metzger cousins and the celebrating for 2012.  On to New Year's.  Hard to believe!

Celebrating Christmas - Metzger Extended

On Saturday morning we had breakfast and then the kids played and decorated some cookies Nonny had cut out.

In the afternoon we headed down the snowy road to Nate's grandpa and grandma Metzger's house.  The girls look forward to this celebration because the big guy as Shelby calls him comes to deliver gifts to us all.

Santa telling the Christmas story with input from the kids

 Shelby's turn

she got Mario kart for her DS and a Dinosaur calendar

Morgan's turn

 Cooking Mama Shop and Chop for her DS

 and a Hello Kitty calendar

they are looking at the monthly pictures on the back

 another hug

Nate and I had to sit on Santa's lap too but my camera battery conveniently died.  The kids did some more playing and then off to bed for 1 more celebration.

Celebrating Christmas - Metzgers

Thursday we emptied suitcases and did laundry, laundry, more laundry and re-packed.  We meaning, I.  On Friday after lunch we hit the road and headed south to Greenville.  It is not every year that we get a white Christmas in the north AND the south, but this year we did!  It started snowing on our way there and continued through the rest of the day.  The girls played while they waited for their Metzger cousins to arrive.  They had an extra long trip in the snow.  So after they ate and the kids were clearly not tired, they opened their gifts starting around 10pm.

Nonny Martha sewed pillow cases for all the kids

they got a new pillow and 3 cases

Morgan got 2 great sets of books with characters

SkippyjonJones and Pete the Cat

Shelby with thread for her sewing machine

There was only 1 thing Shelby wanted more than that helicopter she got from Ian or the ipod touch.  Papa Russell and Nonny Martha made her Christmas when they got her the stuffed dinosaur she's been wanting.

 those are real tears of joy

Nonny even made a great guess and ordered her favorite Triceratops

It turned into a dinosaur Christmas for our dino lover.  Uncle Al, Aunt Jill and cousins gave her this T-Rex T-shirt and a headband that says "I Dig Dinos" in her favorite color green.

She got a drawing dinosaur book, a dinosaur DVD and some mini dinosaur figures.  Her cousin Drew cleaned out his closet and passed on a stuffed stegosaurus.

From Uncle Al, Aunt Jill and cousins, Morgan got these animal print PJ's for her doll.  It is the same pattern as her backpack, lunch box and entire outfit she has.

 She also got a headband in her favorite hot pink that says "I "heart" BOOKS"

 Drew didn't want to leave her out so she got this cute little puppy

Good thing we didn't have anywhere to be so we could sleep in and get ready for our next Christmas with the extended Metzger family and the Greenwoods & Whites.

Celebrating Christmas - Mosley Family

On Monday, Christmas Eve, we headed north to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family in snowy Wisconsin.  They got over 12 inches the week before so I knew that we were guaranteed a white Christmas.  The girls dressed for some sleigh riding soon after we arrived.  One of my mom's brothers from Florida and his family along with my Grandma Johnson and Grandpa Mosley joined us for a steak and shrimp supper.  The kiddos went to bed with visions of opening gifts in the morning.  After eating Nonny's yummy fluffy pancakes we did just that. When we met for the boys' birthday party in November, the kids drew names to see who they would buy gifts for.  This year it worked out that each one bought for the one who picked their name.  So Shelby picked Ian and Ian picked Shelby.  Morgan picked Caleb and Caleb picked Morgan.  The same for Noah and Micah.  That was kind of fun.  And then on Christmas morning, my mom put their names in a bowl and drew out the order they opened their gifts.

what does a dino diva need?

a tyrannosaurus rex dream lite

a zebra for Morgan

from Caleb Morgan got a calendar to use when she plays school

from Ian Shelby got a remote control helicopter she has been dying to have

you can't really see the big smile in this picture....

 but you can in this one!

here they are all opening their gifts from Uncle Luke at the same time

Caleb was sitting with U. Luke next to me so he didn't make the photo

Packer shirts for everyone!

 one more gift from Papa and Nonny

remote control bumper cars for each set of siblings
uncle Jeremy gets to play with Micah

After gift opening we headed outside for some fun in the snow.  Nate did go out the next day but there was no camera for proof. :)

Shelby tried out the snowboard

going

 going

 down

 down!

 still smiling though

 trying out the sledding

these little saucers went flying down the big hill

it was bumpy too

 that is why I stuck to the inner tube

more cushion for the old body

 Morgan flying down the hill

hang on!

Morgan tried out the snowboard too

 she didn't get far

I think Papa had more fun than anyone

this was the hill

lots of fun going down fast

not so much climbing back up s-l-o-w

snow was deep & hard for little legs

After sledding we all got cleaned up.  We usually go into my aunt and uncles house but it didn't work out this year.  Since we all looked perty, we took some photos.

me and my siblings

with our spouses

me, mom, and Ashley

Papa & Nonny

Some headed out on Wednesday morning for more sledding (Nate) and in the afternoon we headed home to regroup for our next trip.  Second fun Christmas in the books.  Only 3 more to go!