Christmas... the Photo Bomb

Which is weirder... to stop enjoying Christmas so you can post about it while it's all fresh, or to be posting Christmas pictures almost two weeks late?  I guess you know where I fall on the spectrum ;D

If you're all Christmas-ed out, just move along... these are our memories.  And one of my favorites is doing advent devotions by candlelight.  And we sing - at least one traditional carol each evening, because I want the boys to know them.  Long after we've forgotten sermons and lessons, we'll remember the songs... so choose them well.

Christmas morning starts early at our house... still dark outside!  The boys open their stockings even before we have breakfast.

We try to find clever little things to tuck into their stockings.  This year the boys all needed some winter gloves.  Oops... looks like Wyatt has left a few candies behind on his strip... that won't last long!

I think their favorites were these air-soft pellet "grenades".

I made an actual cooked breakfast (french toast) and we had our last advent devotion before opening our family gifts.  Then...  

off to Grandpa and Grandma's :D

And since we're the first to arrive, we have some time to fill, so why not...

... break out the potato cannon!  Sure - that's festive!

Doesn't everyone celebrate with artillery?

Ah, but soon enough the house filled with family :D  I'm not trying to post pictures of everyone.  We get together with my parents, my sister (single), my cousin and her husband and daughters, and - this year - my brother, SIL and baby.

Wyatt decided to be a Christmas ninja (?) and Kerry wanted to join him.

Wyatt wanted a hat...

... hope Naomi likes hers.

Gee, can you guess who the paparazzi are after?

Yah. ;D

I think she was trying to pick the dots off her quilt.

Naomi certainly got her share of attention :D

About four in the afternoon, with the gift-opening still going strong, I ducked out onto the deck to check the sunset - gorgeous - and give my ears a quick break ;D

 Most unique Christmas gift this year?

Probably this one, now proudly hanging by Tate's bed.

Or maybe this tree ornament Kerry made for my brother.  

Joy to the whirled ;D