On Christmas Eve, we met Mom, Dad, Pam, Fred, Angie, and Jason at church for the 3:00 family service.
Karl sang with his friend Shelby a duet called "What Can We Give to the King?" Both Karl and Shelby love performing (especially when they get to sing into microphones), so it went very well.
After church, we went back to our house, since we would be hosting Christmas Eve with the Lundgren side. We took some quick pictures before Laura changed out of her dress.
Since Laura didn't sing at church, she played some Christmas music on the piano.
Most of Laura's music has an accompaniment part for the teacher, and when Laura plays for people, she never lets me play the other part because "then people won't be able to tell who's playing what." Last night, though, after Laura had played solo, she played all the pieces again and let me play with her. I felt very honored, as normally Laura insists on working alone.
Well, if Laura was going to play her instrument, Karl was determined to get out his guitar and show off all the progress he's made since the last time everyone heard him! Unlike Laura, Karl always lets Matt play along with him.
One of Karl's biggest fans is Justin.
Laura, Karl, Colin, and Justin were the only kids there, and when we tried to get a picture of all four together we realized that Christmas Eve, kids, and posed pictures do not work well together. Here's a nice one of Mom and Dad with Laura and Karl though.
The kids demonstrated tremendous patience last night while they waited to open gifts.
Here's Laura eating Dad's cinnamon bread while she sits next to the baker. How could Christmas get any better?
By singing Christmas carols, that's how! Matt played guitar while I played piano, and (almost) everyone else sang (don't ask me how I got Matt to agree to it--I wouldn't tell you!).
Matt, Brian, Jennifer, Jason, Justin, Angie, Mom, and Dad enjoying our Christmas dinner.
Finally, it was time for presents! Recently, whenever anyone asked Karl what he wanted for Christmas, he answered, "a pogo stick." Angie and Jason actually got him one!
Whenever anyone asked Laura what she wanted, she always answered, "books and movies." It didn't take her long to hunker down with a stack of books that she just opened.
Since the post office was open, Laurie had to work, and since the weather was so miserable, she had to work really late. Bryan, Laurie, and Scott missed a lot of the party, but we were happy that they arrived safely.
Because of the snowstorm, and because the kids were all excited about it, Angie and Jason decided to stay overnight with us and have a cousins' sleepover. Amazingly, Karl and Colin fell asleep quickly (it probably helped that they didn't go to bed until after 10:30!).
In the morning, the first stop was the fireplace to empty out the stockings. It's a good thing Angie and Jason came prepared!
Laura and Karl tore through their stockings, but Colin took out his two chocolate Santas that were on top and decided that was good enough for him! It took a lot of convincing to get him to see what else was in there, I guess because nothing could be better than those Santas! (Laura's and Karl's, on the other hand, will probably get eaten by me after I get tired of looking at them on the counter for weeks.)
After stockings, the kids went to the tree to see the big presents! Colin got a new bike!
Here's Laura opening the gift she got from Karl-the second Harry Potter book.
Normally, I go nuts picking up the wrapping paper as the kids are opening presents, but with four kids flinging paper all over, I didn't even try, so that by the end of gift opening our living room was in full Christmas carnage mode.
But we cleaned it up, and then had carmel rolls and pigs-in-a-blanket for breakfast.
After breakfast, it was time to play in the snow!
Since the snow was so sticky, the kids went outside and made a snowman. Colin added the blue "paint" (colored water).
As soon as the plows were done over at the church parking lot, the kids walked over to try out their new sleds on the freshly-made snow hills.
After a fun morning, the Elliotts decided it was time to get home, and soon it was time for us to celebrate Christmas at Pam and Fred's with Tanya, Jeff, Aly, and Emily. We got to sit out in the newly finished porch.
Fred and Karl
Playing the "pass the present" game.
Karl got some "Flat Stanley" books from Pam and Fred, and he quickly sat down to read them. Just a few minutes earlier, this boy had been dancing around like a madman to Mannheim Steamroller.
One of the gifts Karl got this morning was a Lightning McQueen "shaving" kit, that came with shaving cream, a play-razor, and a shaving brush. Tonight after his bath, Karl insisted on learning how to shave, so Matt showed him how to do it, and now Karl is one smooth little man.
You made it to the end! We had such a fun Christmas, and we hope everyone else did too!
