Christmas

I know it's been a couple days since Christmas and everybody wants to know what an awesome Christmas Mike and I had, but it seems every time I get on the computer to post I am drawn to the Fitbit website.

Yes, I got a Fitbit from Bryan and Mary for Christmas. I still do not have it set up right, (maybe right isn't the correct word)  I just don't have it set to what I want to track. Steps instead of calories and time of day that starts at midnight instead of noon, auto sleep.... You get the idea. But I visit the website to find the answers every time I get on the computer and spend all my time there.

OK, enough about that. I'll figure it out eventually.

Christmas started on Christmas Eve morning as always with breakfast with the Dupplers and Florys. It was at Jon and Erica's this year, so Ben could get a nap in at home. Roger got cozy with his cousin Erica. I think he wanted to pet the dog and be safe at the same time. Erica's lap fit the bill.

Christmas Eve at our house.
It was a really good time. With Mike working this summer I got to spend some extra money and I loved doing it. LOVED doing it. Yup, That is me, thrifty Karen, saying that I loved shopping.

Owen was the first to get a present. A spinning hamburger. Stack it, push the button and watch it spin outa control. Nothing like a baby's laugh. Roger and Luke got a before dinner present too. It's Christmas after all.

After 1 1/2 pans (so glad I made 2 kinds - with teenagers in the house) of lasagna and 24 slice of garlic bread is all consumed, we got down to the rest of the presents.

Roger and Luke got a present together. I wasn't sure if they would be OK with that, but it was the biggest present under the tree and they opened it together. A Easel for the masters artist. They got very excited and wanted to put it together. Good thing we had other presents to move on to.

* The easel is in our living room waiting to be taken into the city. Turns out Bryan had to choose between taking the easel or the wine frig. with them home, both wouldn't fit into the car. Wine frig. won - go figure.

I am sorry about the quality of my pictures. Owen found the camera and pushed some buttons. This one I had to post. Bryan wearing Kaylyn's hat.

The older boys in the other room working on their Star Wars leogs in their Star Wars P.J's with their cousin Logan.

To keep Owen outa their hair. He got to climb all over Mike's tool chest in the living room. He thinks  he's all it.

And of course his Uncle Brian thinks so too.

Our family is getting bigger - and in this case Bigger IS Better.

Now I gotta go - maybe somebody answered my question on the Fitbit community page.

Santa's Lap

I tried to sit on Santa's lap. I didn't fit. Ended up sitting on the arm of his chair.

That's OK - He told me I was good enough to get my Christmas wishes this year.
I told him just take care of my Grandkids and we can call it even.

What's That Noise?

I think I have a pretty good sense of hearing.

I prefer a quite space apposed to a room with a TV or radio on, same in the car. Everything turned down low or off.
Whenever our friend Steve visits, he always asks when we are watching TV "Can you seriously hear that?" Maybe not a good example, cause he can't hear much of anything. Point is I love me some peace and quite.

I am sitting in my chair, reading - house is quiet and I hear some noise.
First I think it's just the birds in the bush outside the window and continue reading. When I look out the window, I don't see any birds so I take a walk outside and listen and nope that's not it.
I know, Mike left the TV on in the basement. Nope, that's not it either.
The frig just came on - I walk over and listen. Nope not it either.
I know there is no point in asking Mike. He has tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and has a hard time hearing anything.

I take a walk down the basement and can't hear a thing. The noise is definitely upstairs.
I sit back down in my chair and listen some. Then I start to laugh. I remembered the grandkids were here this weekend and like his older brother Roger, Owen loves my clock radio next to my chair.
It's an old thing and I'm not sure the music even works I like to keep it there to check the time occasionally. I let them touch it and push the buttons on the top. They think they are getting away with something. It's so cute to watch and all I have to do is reset the time when they leave. No big deal.

Right now it's hidden under my golf Christmas tree, but Owen still managed to find it.
He must also have found the on/off switch along the side - because that's where the noise was coming from. The little bugger turned on the radio to static.

COOKIES

It all started with Me, Sharen and Mom getting together and baking Christmas cookies in my kitchen. Mom just couldn't stand for that long and Sharen and I just didn't want her to stop baking her Christmas cookies.

It's now a annual Christmas cookie exchange with some of Mom's recipes still coming out of my kitchen.

Gangs all here

Sharen and I sat down with our Grand daughters and decorated some cookies. Kallie and Kendell would of stayed there all day. What great little helpers. 

Around the table, The "K" team, plus Sharen.    Kallie - Kendell - Sharen - Karen - Kaylyn. 

Stacy steps in to see if we need her. We got this.

 Carrie checks on her group . Yup, the Grandma's have this all under control.

Mary and the boys were running a little late, but I saved them some cookies to sprinkle.
Roger jumped right in, but Luke just wanted to fix the new puzzles. (Thanks to the Reuters.)
Ben sat long enough to decorate a couple cookies, but there were toys in the other room that looked more interesting.
Owen shares a seat with Erica that got Ben's attention.

You know that's not me right...Hey Mom, I'm over here.

I think Mom would love that we are getting together to do this each year.
I love that our daughters WANT to do this each year.

The Christmas cookies are an added bonus.

Santa

Time for a visit with Santa and breakfast.

It's great that the boys daycare does this every year. The Florys don't have to fight the crowds at the malls for the boys to get to tell Santa what they want for Christmas.

Both boys told Santa they want light sabers.

Roger with Santa

Luke with Santa

Owen wanted nothing to do with Santa

Merry Christmas!