Christmas 2007

We had a wonderfully relaxed Christmas this year. No traveling!!! I highly recommend it! No Grandparents will like reading that. We actually had used up all of our vacation days for the year for horse shows and family reunions that we really didn't have a choice but to have Christmas in our new home. Dylan's parents came and we went up to Portland to enjoy the zoo lights. They decorate the zoo with over 1 million lights in shapes of animals, etc. We hopped on the train that took us through out the zoo so that we didn't have to haul the kids around in the cold. It was perfect. Emily called it the Polar Express and we even bought hot chocolate.
Emily and Grandma on the train.
Katelyn and Dad
Grandma and Grandpa
Emily hugged onto Rudolph and wouldn't let go.

Christmas Eve we had our traditional crab and shrimp dinner. It was so yummy!!! That is one of the best parts about living on the coast is that you always have FRESH seafood which is the only way to eat it. I learned that if it tastes fishy that means that bacteria has gotten to it. YUCK! We bought fresh king crab legs, fried up shrimp, made sour cream potatoes, cheese ball, and cookie salad. I made a banana cream pie the old fashioned way. You make everything from scratch including the crust and no pudding filling. My favorite! Dylan's mom made hot fudge for the peppermint ice cream and her yummy slush. The best part about the holidays is yummy food. Thank you Sandy for helping stock our kitchen full of food.Reading the Christmas story.

Christmas morning Dylan and I were up and had fed Katelyn while everyone else was still fast asleep. Dylan wanted so badly to wake Emily but I wouldn't let him. Next year I am not going to put out the presents until Christmas because Emily didn't think that Santa came because it didn't look like there were more presents under the tree. Then she looked by the fireplace and saw that Rudolph ate his hay and that Santa ate his birthday cake and drank his milk. Santa even left her a letter thanking her for the yummy treats. Rudolph was very tired and hungry this year. :) They loved opening presents this year. It was alot of fun. I made Dylan a scrapbook of his mission and put all of his letters in a binder. He hadn't even developed most of his pictures because he couldn't pack them around everywhere. I am proud to say that as he looked through it he cried!!! That is the goal. Sounds weird but if you give them a gift that brings happy tears then you have succeeded in giving them a meaningful gift that will be remembered. I would much rather give and receive those kinds of gift than a new wii game. Dylan just goes out and buys it himself if he really wants something anyways. We were glad to have Dylan's parents in our home for Christmas. Emily LOVES her grandparents so much.Katers
Grandpa and Em having a tea party with her new princess tea set.Dylan opening his scrapbookEm opening new baby dollKatelyn hugging her baby dollOpening presents