Merry Christmas... in February

Apparently my time management skills are lacking big time, still.
On Christmas morning I had to work 5-12:30, so I exited the house after strategically placing the bag of Santa gifts, while the house was silent and still.

When I got off I went to mom and dad's  to pick up Jayna.  Then we headed home to open gifts.  And boy did we open gifts!  The kids were royally spoiled, all four of our kids!  And for that another clear season of thankfulness.  God has provided as we have doubled in size.

stocking were hung on the dresser with care... Angela, Jayna, Anthony, Jayla and the cats too

Of course it had to begin with a bang when Alisa accidentally bopped Jayla in the face and tears flowed.  But still, here is our before picture---1:30pm we began the gift opening chaos at home!

poor Jayla and her fat lip

one of my fav was Ang's personalized mug

Everything Angela wanted  and asked for was basically clothes

Her big gift was a high quality hair straightener

Anthony' has loved his first good quality watch and his new wimpy kid book he kept reading instead of opening gifts

Anthony's big gift was I restored one of my older bikes; a Raleigh that's 15 years old beats a brand new big box store bike

.

Jayla's big gift was a blessing our church friends got her!  The corner bottom photo is Jayla telling Marko off for calling frozen Pocohantas--- repeatedly

Jayna got a nice variety of art supplies, a few clothes too

she got the midlevel gifts instead of a big gift; a pogo stick, chair and electric pencil sharpener

After opening gifts the kids had a brief stretch to play before it was time to go to Grandma Pam's to do the next to last round of Christmas.

Daddy and his kiddos all gifted out!

the girls all got new bath towel robes and all the kids got new slippers and electric blankets... Jayla's blanket isn't electric because 4 seems young for that.

 It is very rare we see Marko's brother or the sister in-laws so it was nice seeing them.  Unfortunately his brother and one sis in law and son didn't arrive for several hours after the scheduled time but we made the most of the time we had.

Grandma Pam, as always outdid herself, too much food, too many gifts <3

Anthony was thrilled with 2 new kideo games and a remote control plane, Jayla loved her microscope and video recorder, Jayla got lots of frozen goodness and Ang got some clothes and scarves

A miracle, these little momma's girls warmed up to Marko--- he got a high five and a hug!

ops we may have made Momma tear up with her new photos of her grandbabes...And the adult kids got some gifts too!

About 10 we left Momma's and Marko and Ang headed home while the rest went to pick up Corey from work.  Bummer he had to work a 12 hour shift, but a job is certainly a blessing.  So, I had separated all Jayla's gifts so she could open the ones Cory and Alisa bought her once Cory was home. 

Jayna's sketchbook, Anthony;s hat, Angela's nails, Beth's mug

And just like that our day had come to a close.  And what an eventful family filled few days it was!

The cake we made Christmas Eve

 And life continued, as normal, with a 5am shift on the 26th... the one and only day the cats could enjoy the tree.  Because as soon as I got off on the 26th I took the tree down!

Sampson and Phoenix

Merry Christmas Eve; Crazy Sykes Edition

When you have a family, the size of ours Christmas suddenly becomes big.  Then add in That two of the kidlets also have bio family to visit and now it is huge.  Surprisingly my employer gave me Christmas Eve off.  We started our rounds by taking Angela to deliver gifts to her sister, brother, Nannie and Poppa.  We had confirmed with Nannie and Poppa that this was ok and the timing was fine.  It isn't that picture perfect vision you may have in your head, but I tried to include all of her family into her Christmas.  Sadly this was a short but sweet very awkward start, but just the same she learned the joy of giving even if you don't receive.  No pictures for various reasons including I don't post others photos without permission and it was very short and sweet and over so not much of a photo op.  When we went home it was time to bake Baby Jesus' birthday cake and to do our Gingerbread Village Elbert the Elf had given us.

ignore the crowded messy living room/bedroom.... making their gingerbread houses

yep, a total carbon copy of the picture on the box ;-)

The kids with their gingerbread village

Then we rushed off to the candlelight service at church. The youngest kiddo had a nap on my lap briefly until it was time to light the candles at the ending songs.

Then it was time for Christmas with mom, dad and in town siblings.  I found a note that night that made me treasure the time with mom even more so.  Mom as always fixed the best finder foods.  Dad, Anthony and Jayna read the Christmas story.  

Then it was time for gift exchanging.  Everyone got more than they needed, but my goal was achieved for my four kids of equal gifts.  If someone bought for one of them they bought for all of them!  I really try my hardest to ensure the kids feel equally included, loved and accepted, every single day, every single occasion!

Gifts to Ang from Poppy and Grandma

Gifts to Ant from Grandma and Poppy and our traditional Christmas Jammies too

Gifts to Jayna from Grandma and Poppy

gifts to Jayla from Grandma and Poppy

Ant got a swiss army pocket knife... and a first victim too ;-)

Joe's gift from dad-- pretty pink poodle wrapping paper, captain crunch box, and gloves now that he is finally kinda a grown up he needed grown up leather gloves ;-)

mom's prank gift from dad: a wrapped box of tea---- with a pair of socks--- that yes she did for a matter of fact already own and we took out of her sock drawer and she thought dad got her them lol--- and then the real gift a cracker barrel gift card!  Funnier in person.  Ops if she reads this box I guess she now knows the socks weren't a gift lol

And of course, no night is complete without our awkward family growing photos....

who's  due 1st?

After mom and dad's house, we took our stash of gifts home and of course had to get our annual Christmas Eve jammies pictures!

Then we took Jayna back to Grandma and Poppy's to spend the night and Marko, Angela and I went to visit Angela's Aunt Shelia.

All my favorite gifts to give were picture gifts!  We obviously gave out photos of the kids/our family but I also made Angela a personalized mug, put together a photo album for Joe and Marko of their graduations this past May and June, and had grandkid photos taken of Momma's grands and framed them all.  Now all she has to do is put in a nail where ever she chooses to hand.  Aunt Shelia's gift was extra special as it was a large collage framed photos of Uncle Ron who had died a few weeks earlier.  After visiting with Aunt Sheila, Marko took Angela to Alta Vista for an over night visit with her bio mom.  I headed home to bed because I had work at 5am and it was now 11pm.