Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas to all! We hope you had as wonderful and family filled holiday as we did.

We headed to Muscatine for Christmas with Wayne's family. We arrived Friday night so we could spend all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with them.

Christmas eve started with our little tradition of one gift to be opened. This gift is always a shirt to wear to the family gathering that night. This is the first of 3 Thomas shirts that Henry got.

Then the four of us made rainbow fruit skewers for the extended family gathering.

Afterward Henry had a nap and Zoe decorated cookies with Grandma. Zoe is becoming a pro.

Then off to Great Grandma and Great Grandpa's. There was lots of food, family, and fun. There was even a band there. They preformed the Christmas classic Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. The band consisted of Wayne, his brother-in-law, Dad, and cousin.

After lots of fun we headed home for bed so Santa could come. The kids put their letter, cookies, and carrots out for santa then rushed off to bed. (The carrots were for the deer)

The next morning we got up super early so the kids could open their santa gifts and gifts from us.

Then we got all fancy and headed off to church at the church we were married in (more about that later)

After church we opened gifts with Wayne's parents and sister and her family.

Zoe got her first Barbie. Its Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

Then we just relaxed as a family playing games and relaxing.

We also made a Birthday Cake for Baby Jesus. This is a tradition from the Hempel side that I have carried on with my kids. When we went to church the Pastor asked the kids during children's time how they plan to celebrate Jesus' Birthday . Zoe proudly said we were having birthday cake and singing Happy Birthday. The pastor thought that was a wonderful idea then went into a debate with Zoe about how many candles should or should not be put on the cake.

Above Zoe was pointing out to papa where he missed a spot.

Below is the finished product. Henry was taking a desperately needed nap so he did not join us in the decorating.

After Henry's nap we all watched one of the movies Santa brought the kids - Cars 2.

That evening we had a nice family dinner with Wayne's parent, grandparents, and his sister and family. After dinner we had a gift exchange for the adults. We did a white elephant exchange that was quite fun.

We ended the evening singing happy birthday and having some cake then playing games.

On Monday Wayne helped his father with some odds and ends then we headed home

We got home early in the evening, which gave the kids time to play with some of their presents.

They also played with the toys they missed.