Christmas 2011

Christmas was a wonderful time this year. We enjoyed the holiday season leading up to Christmas and had a couple get togethers at our house as well as a few nice adult dinners with friends that we greatly enjoyed. Christmas Eve is always at my parents house. We start out at Church at the 4pm Christmas Eve service then back to my parents for dinner and presents. This year my mom did short ribs and they were amazing!!!!

The kids by the tree at our church.

 

Haleyanna, Annalee, Christian, Ethan, Nathan, Owen, Savannah, Finley and Mia (next year Emery will be there)

 

Making their silly faces

 

The girls at my parents

 

The girls playing tug-o-war with Cassie's boyfriend Jeff

 

Finley-- still working on that smile :)

 

Christmas morning was low key. The kids explored their stocking loot

 

Mia looking in her stocking

 

Finley getting some awesome makeup-- the girls love makeup therefore Santa made some visits to the 99 cent store this year to bulk up on makeup!

 

More stocking stuffers

 

More makeup!

 

And more...

 

All the kids by the tree :) Finley had candy in her mouth hence the big cheek

 

The boys pretty much got only hockey gear. Both boys got really cool "protective" gear and here he is showing off some of the lower "protective gear". I decided to crop the picture a bit as I am sure you didnt want to see the entire protected area :)

Reading a new book from Grandma and Grandpa Bock

After presents we went to Kevin brothers house around the corner and we hung out there and had breakfast. We had a lot of fun and then came back to our house and got ready for Christmas dinner that we host each year. Kev made an amazing dinner and we had a nice smaller group this year (my parents, sister and boyfriend, brother and family, Kevin's brother and family and parents). We had homemade butternut squash soup that had a spicy kick topped with cream and cilantro. Then we had brine pork loin that had been brining for a day or 2 with sweet and sour pearl onions, savory bread pudding, and chestnut bacon amazing brussle sprouts and lots of good wine. It was an amazing meal and Kev did a great job as always.

Christmas was a great time. It was so fun to watch Finley take it all in as this was her first Christmas with us and she just thought it was awesome! Next year Emery will get to take it all in for the first time :)