They All Come Home for Christmas Morning...

There are so many pictures I had to create a slide show.
Christmas morning was so amazing! I am telling you that it was the highlight of my entire holiday season! All seven (+ one borrowed) grandchildren for the morning. Not to mention all my girls and the son-in-laws. We all had breakfast and exchanged gifts and just enjoyed being with each other. Santa had come to our house too, so there were lots of presents everywhere. Grandpa helped Santa get HUGE and I mean HUGE electronic toys from Costco so the older boys all got one to drive around. Of course Grandpa had to take them to all the houses because they didn’t all fit in their parents cars. Kaitlynn got a learning computer and Gary got a very large dump truck and Madison got a leap-frog train. Little Eleya got a new teddy-bear. All the girls and son-in-laws got money from Santa to spend on whatever they wanted. I think that is a little impersonal, but there are so many of them and usually that is what they want. I was excited to fill the stockings for Santa and enjoyed making things to put in them. I was able to surprise Rob this year and was able to find an American Flag tow-plug for his new truck. I also created a digital scrapbook for him from this year’s events. I think he was surprised and happy just the same. He got me a new docking station for my ipod. I can’t wait to get it opened. I love listening to music while I’m scrapping and sewing!

Waking Up to a White Christmas!

We woke up to snow everywhere! It was beautiful! We need the moisture and the snow for this winter, so this was an added blessing for the day!

Christmas Eve at the Pumphrey Home...

John wrapping a gift waiting for the guests to arrive for our Christmas Eve Celebration!

Madison drinking out of a cup for the first time and being very proud of herself!

Making everyone smile... that's what she does!

Rob and I have a tradition that we invite family and friends for Christmas Eve, however this year it was a small group, but nice just the same. Pamela, Jeremy, Hayden and Madison all came. Shane, Katie, Matthew and Evan all came over as well. Of course Emily and John were here and then Patsy, Uncle Ben, Davey and his girlfriend Christine, Ellen and Danny all made it down from Reno. I made chicken enchilada casserole, cornbread and salad for everyone. Then we had the cookies and wassail for dessert! It was a great night!

Christmas Cookies and Treats!

Let the sampling begin!!!!

Emily helped me make cookies for Christmas Eve. We baked and baked and decorated and iced and John and Rob sampled! Rob even helped with the baking (not really, he just took them out of the oven for me)! I made popcorn balls to help Santa out so he could put them in the stockings. It was great having help getting it all done! They were delicious if I do say so myself.

A Christmas Light Show...

On Monday night we took Emily and John and went to see the synchronized light show at the Kremer Home. It is so cool, you tune in your Radio Station in your car and then watch the lights change according to the tunes. Rob and I actually got to see it two times, but it was worth it both times. Caesar enjoyed it too! He especially enjoyed the “dog song”! http://www.nevadachristmas.com/

Madison stops by to see Auntie Em...

Madison getting kisses from Auntie Em

Posing together

Saying "Cheese" for the camera... I think that is her first word!

A squeeze for grandma!

A Christmas Breakfast...

We had a Christmas get together at our home. I made "crustless quiche", Patty brought homemade banana bread (Yummmm), Julie brought fresh fruit (so delicious) and Cindy brought Starbucks coffee for her and Patty. We had breakfast and then opened gifts for each other. It was great way to start the day and to celebrate Christmas together... precious times with precious friends.

Cindy opening her gift from me... can you guess what it says?

Patty showing us what Cindy gave her...we all got a beautiful necklace and earrings from Cindy.

Julie was so cleaver. She made each of us an IOU and is making each of us a set of these dolls. They represent the four of us…Of course the one with the camera is suppose to be me! They are absolutely adorable and a very precious gift!

Andi came by at the end of our breakfast so I took this snapshot of her and Julie. Julie gave us one more gift and truly says alot at least to me and sums up what I am trying to do... it is a quote from Erma Bombeck, "When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I would have not a singlebit of talent left and could say, "I used everything you gave me."

Christmas Decorations...

Our dining room table and some of snowmen collection in the background...

18 stockings total!

The Piano room that Rob decorated!

More stockings and our Rudolph...

Some of my collection of Snowmen...

Photo Alphabet Letters...

I saw this idea and thought I could do this same thing, so I went around the Valley and took pictures that reminded me of letters. Then for Christmas presents, I created names and framed them. This is my friends last name… see if you can figure it out! I hope to be able to make some more, but I need to get out there a find more letters. This was very fun for me to do.

Christmas Present Ideas!

Here are three of the many Whopper Reindeer I made this year. These are so cute and I think that everyone that gets them loves them! I try to help Santa as much as possible!

A Birthday Celebration!

Patty had a birthday and Julie arranged for us to see “A Christmas Sweater” and dinner at BJ’s Brewery in Reno. Dinner was fabulous and it was my first visit to BJ’s and hopefully not my last. Then we moseyed over to Century Theater there at the Summit Mall to watch the play. It was a simulcast show staring Glen Beck telling a story about his life as a young man and how he learned the true meaning of Christmas. It was a great night (cold) but good times with good friends. Here is a picture of the homemade card I made for her. I love to make things!

The Stockings Were Hung...

Well we were officially in the mist of the 2008 Holiday Rush when Emily and John decided to come early! So I hurried and finished hanging all the stockings (18 total!) and finished decorating the tree and doing some last minute things to help Santa. Then John and Emily came about 2:30 a.m. in the morning on the 20th. They came through a snow storm to get here and we were just glad to see them! Not to mention they made it ok. I can't wait for Christmas Morning so I can have my entire family home for the holidays! Emily and John are going to be able to stay with us until the 5th of January.

A Suprise Visit!

Bubba, Gary and Katy-bug all came by for a visit! We always have something to smile about when we get to see them! I think all of their middle names is "ham"!