Disneyland: Part One

Then, two things happened:

1) My camera died

2) Trevor and Lucy got really sick.

So, after missing photo ops at the AMAZING evening Christmas Parade (man, I am a sucker for those parades.  I love 'em!  I sat on that cold curb for an hour and a half saving our spots to see that thing.  And it was just as magical for the kids.) we decided to call it a trip and head home early.  The kids were too sick and the crowds were too....imposing.  We are heading back next week to use our tickets and finish what we started!  We can't wait!!

Merry Christmas Owens'!

Baby's First Christmas

Merry Christmas, Baby.

Christmas Morning

 (All of my photos were so blurry and tinted and poor quality BUT atleast we have some of the best memories documented of this wonderful Christmas morning.)

 After checking out our Santa stockings, the kids open the gifts they give to each other and to Steve and me (these are always $1 gifts they pick out)

 I love the appreciation and tender gratitude they have during these exchanges. 

 Then, the gifts.  Oh, that's just Gavin opening his gift of envelopes.  Yes, envelopes.  He really likes "making cards" and he swipes every envelope we have in this house.

 Trevor waving around his awesome gift.  I can't remember what it was, but he was super excited :)

 That would be sugar wafers.  We really go all out for Christmas...

 Again, Trevor is super excited about something, but I can't tell what with all the blur.  I love these pictures because we still talk about how excited and grateful he was this morning.

 First Christmas Lucy.

 You are so scrumptious.

 Oh, and Preston got Lucy this hat in the brother/sister gift exchange.

After the kids had opened their gifts of fruit snacks, Cheezits, activity books, reading books, a couple DVDs and CDs...we told them we had one more gift for them.  First, I must pause to remember that our kids were so pleased and grateful for their gifts before they even knew anything else was coming.  We had intended on only gettting them little items that we would need for our big surprise.  This is such a happy memory Steve and I have from this Christmas.

Moving on.  Next, they each opened an envelope and put together this sentence:

 And, when they did, this was their reaction...

...when they saw this:

 It was fantastic.

It was pretty much one of the best Christmas mornings ever. 

Christmas Eve

 (The Nativity reinactment came later.

But this photo needed to be first.)

Gavin.  The Star. 

 So, Grandpa Owens gave the older cousins a Christmas Eve challenge this year.  The Polar Bear Challenge:  Whoever would jump in the pool (which even in AZ, is cold this time of year) and stay in for 5 seconds, would get a crisp $5 bill.  Big money for these cousins. 

 So, before dinner began, Grandpa gave the pep talk, the cousins got psyched and then...

 one by one..

 by freezing one...

they did it!

 And, it was hilarious and extremely awesome as each big cousin took the plunge and then were cheered on by the other cousins.  I think the other draw besides the cash, was that they knew they could get in Grandma and Grandpa's jacuzzi after!

Lucy thinking, "I. Will. Never. Do. That."

The Nativity.  A favorite tradition.

And, Christmas jammies.

I love Christmas Eve.

Annual Gingerbread Houses

We have started this tradition, and every year the kids won't let us forget it.  It is always fun, and I've gotten better at remembering to do the actual construction ahead of time (3-4 hours prior to decorating for best results!)  The kids have come to terms with the fact that our houses will never look like the houses on the box, but we try our darnedest to make those awesome, drippy icicles.

 Must note:  Paige and Pres let me know that the orange, red and yellow jellybeans in the bottom of that "window" are the flames of the fireplace. I find that to be awesome.