Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Poulsen

Waiting to open gifts.

Donovan has his gift.

Haley has her gift.

Eagan has his gift.

Isabella has her gift.

This is my gift.

The boy's all got Kung Zhu's 

My new pressure cooker, WOO HOO!

The boys Kung Zhu Arena, super cool

Honoka lets Eagan play with her Casio Translater

Kiss please...

Isabella playing Jingle Bells

Honoka opening party favor

Honoka and Eagan

We celebrated Christmas with my parents and siblings early this year, on Friday evening instead on Christmas Day(Sunday).  We picked up Honoka at the O'Harra's house and went to my parents house.  We were late so we missed first dinner and everyone else opening gifts.  We opened our gifts from the my sister Adrienne and her family, I received a Pressure Cooker(very grateful), the girls received Princess dress up items, and the boys including Parley received a Kung Zhu, Zhu Zhu pet, fighting arena and three Kung Zhu Pets.  We received a photo album from my parents and a toll painted triptych of the nativity.  Our children received a hand made wooden pencil box with their names on them.  My sister Heather gave us a mason jar full of coins and gift cards(very generous).  We also gave the Poulsen's a homemade gift basket, an everything you need for hot chocolate kit (I mean everything).  After presents I made a lot of Belgian waffles, I used two waffles irons, wow the second waffled iron really made all the difference on how long it took to make all the waffles.  We enjoyed opening pop crackers that my sister Adrienne made, a homemade version of a British Christmas party favor.  We had a great time, Isabella also played Jingle Bells on grandma's piano and we sang along the second go round.  It was a night of good food, great gifts, an immense spirit of giving and a lovely night all together.  I ended our night by photographing our entire family.  Thank you to everyone for the food, thank you Ballantyne's for the wonderful gifts, my boys(all three) immediately put their Kung Zhu arena together and played with it when we got home, so yes the gifts were very gratefuly received.