Christmas 2011 #1

I’m finally getting around to posting about our Christmas get-togethers.  We had four of them altogether and I have lots of pictures to post from each. 

Christmas #1 was with the whole Russell clan.  We got together on Saturday, December 17th at Mom and Dad’s.  Unfortunately, there weren’t as many in attendance as normal. With the size of our family, it is getting harder and harder to find a time that works for all of us.  But we still had a great time!  And we greatly missed our Aunt Sandra … this was the first Christmas that we ever remember her being unable to attend.

We had a delicious Christmas feast that consisted of more food than we can ever eat, but I’m definitely not complaining!  I think I had three helpings before I decided I was ready for dessert and then, of course, I was too full to even make it to the dessert table! 

We all enjoyed watching all the kiddos play together.  It is so fun watching them play and thinking that we, as kids, had the same amount of fun that they do when we all get together.  One of my favorite memories as a child was playing with all my cousins at Christmas get-togethers and I hope that is one of Ryan’s, also.

The favorite part of the day for the kids was opening presents!  They were all so excited to see what each of the others got.  We just do a very small gift exchange by drawing names and buying a gift that is $10 or less and the kids love it.  Here are some pictures from our day:

Rowan showing off his new stick-horse while wearing his favorite cowboy hat!

Ryan patiently waiting for his turn to open gifts:

 

All the kids curiously watching to see what Lily’s gift is:

 

Ryan with his new Uno Choo-Choo train game from Rowan:

 

Valerie checking out her new feather hairbow:

 

Ryan holding his new 2nd cousin, Violet, and wondering why she is crying:

 

Rowan and Violet … I laugh every time I see this picture of Rowan because of his double chin and the look on his face … so cute!

Rowan and Ryan really aren’t sure what’s going on here.  Ryan better get used to it considering we will have a new baby in about a month!

This is a picture from later on that night.  I absolutely love how they are both cheesin’ it up in their cowboy hats!

 

Here’s to many more fun Russell get-togethers!