It's Christmas Day!

It's Christmas Eve! Outside and in!

The village in the Guest room window seat.

...The Master bedroom...

...The dining room...

...The Foyer and "Grand" staircase...

...The Living room...

...The Family room...

...The back deck...

...The Playroom...

...The Study...

...The downstairs Family room...

On Christmas Eve we enjoy dinner and the George C. Scott "A Christmas Carol".

It's Christmas Day! After Church we opened our gifts. Dad with his gifts from Santa!

Me and my gifts from Santa!

Our gifts from neighbors and friends.

Our gifts from extended family.

Just had to show you the ornament Maureen made for me! I love her ornaments and have a tree specially for them! There are two others (of the many) she has made on the left and the right.

Gifts from our family...the DVD from Brent's family, the gift from Stephanie's family (a trip on May 12th with them to go see Brian Reagan's show at Touchan!), Jenny Phillip's CD and DVD that McKenna is featured in, and the 12 Days Of Christmas from Cheryl's family! Thank you all!

Cheryl and Abi put together the 12 Days of Christmas and it was so much fun! We started on the 14th and ended on Christmas Day. (Cheryl created the darling instructions!)

(1st Step)

Day 1: A partridge in a pear tree should have been a cinch, but they were both stolen by the famous Mr. Grinch. So, to keep this Christmas merry let's all make a deal...whenever you feel "grinchy" just take a Grinch Pill! (Green tic tacs)
Day 2: We had 2 Turtle Doves. They were ready to ship. Then Santa Claus came to Kenosha on a trip. He wanted to buy them. So, we made a trade. We gave him the birds. We're sending you the $2.00 he paid. (2 Dollar candy bars that we ate on the 15th!)

Day 3: A Hen lays eggs that can be fried so it's an honest mistake that we MADE...You can use this to buy some "french fries" that will be yummier than any eggs those hens could have laid! (McDonalds gift certificate)

Day 4:The Calling Birds run up quite a large bill. We weren't sure how that would make you feel. some say the art of "snail mail" is dead. But we're hoping you won't mind some "letters" instead. (The DVD "Letter To Juliet")

(2nd Step)

Day 5: We really wish we could have bought those 5 Golden Rings but they wee too pricey so we're sending some Snowman things! ("Snowman breath: Gum with snowman faces drawn on the plastic covering of each piece and "Snowman Poop" - Abi got a kick out of that one - white tic tacs)

Day 6: We found the 6 Geese laying down to sleep...they were listening to this music and it's now yours to keep! ("Shepherd Of My Soul" CD)

Day 7: We went to pick up the swans at the lake on Stephen's Lane, but instead we brought home the hot cocoa that tasted like Candy Cane! (2 packets of Stephen's Candy Cane Cocoa)

Day 8: We knew that the maids milk just wouldn't last, no matter the shipping: no matter how fast. So we had them make it into some "milk" chocolate bars. these would stay fresh no matter how far! (2 Hershey's milk chocolate bars)

3rd Step:

Day 9: The 9 Ladies Dancing put on quite a show. Their feet were so tired, so wouldn't you know...we're sending some socks for soothing your feet. They are comfy and cozy and all wrapped up neat. (a pair of red fluffy socks)

Day 10: We watched the Lords Leaping, they were leaping so high. It was kind of annoying - I'm not going to lie. So we thought you might rather have something that jumps but then stops...something that is yummy to eat after it pops! (2 bags of Homestyle popcorn)

Day 11: There is something about "pipers" that reminds us of the military - the ceremonies sometimes have pipes the bagpipers carry. So we thought thisgift would be a great "win"...you can decorate your favorite tie with this Navy pin! (A Navy tie tack that Dad loves!)

Day 12: The 12 Drummers were so fun to watch banging on their drums, but we thought you might like a drummer that's less loud and MORE yum! (A can of cashews)

Thanks to the Van Wagenen's! This was so much fun!

King Family Christmas Party...Dec. 19, 2011

Good mail day...December 15th! We received our Christmas gift from Cheryl, Doug, and the girls! The 12 Days of Christmas! It was to be started on the 14th and end on the 25th..so we got to open two packages on the 15th! It has been so much fun! We have received...so far...$2.00 Chocolate Bars, Green Tic Tacs, the DVD "Letters To Juliet", Snowman Poo (white tic tacs) and Snowman Breath (gum with snowman faces drawn on them), and a CD (which we opened this evening before the football game). Thank you so much!

We had our Christmas Party yesterday from around 12:30 pm to 8 pm. Stephanie, Dan, and the girls got here around 3:30 pm. Before they arrived we enjoyed delicious appetizers and wonderful punch! Yum! Everybody loved the Buffalo Chicken Dip, Cheryl!

The first game we played was hosted by Karen. We had to put paper plates on our heads and draw a floor, a Christmas Tree, ornaments, a star on top of the tree, a gift under the tree, a fireplace, and a stocking hanging from the mantel. Hard!!

Karen conducting the game!

My plate with the gift under the tree, the floor, the tree, and the star. The fireplace and stocking present a fire hazard as they are too close to the tree!

Greg did the next game...where we each had to give a noun, a verb, or an adjective to make up a story. It was really fun and the stories turned out so funny!

As soon as Stephanie arrived she did the "Guess What's In The Stocking?" game! Not my bag of tricks! But it was so much fun and we had three winners!

The really big stocking full of gifts!

So many of my pictures turned out blurry...darn it! I don't know why...except that maybe I was so excited I just couldn't hold the camera still?? Courtney is opening the gift from us.

An America Girl Bubble Bath Tub set. She was happy!

Logan opening his boxes of Navy stuff! He was excited! He also got a Navy Cap from Brent's family so he got 2 caps to wear!

Matthew opening the gift from them (Abi?). I think he enjoyed the idea of money!!

One of the gifts we gave Matthew...an Alabama Crimson Tide T-shirt! One of his favorite teams.

One of the gifts we gave Austin was a New England Patriots t-shirt. That is his favorite team after the Broncos. The U. of U. football was from the Floyd's (McKenna?).

The temple pajama bottoms you made for McKenna! She loved them and put them on after the gift opening. They turned out really cute!

I think you (Cheryl) can tell that McKenna also likes the album you made for her!

Below, Tyler opeing his gift from Austin? It was a gift card.

Tyler opening his gift from us. So sorry for the blur!


Dan with the tie Doug gave him and I believe the gift card to Stef is from Angie!

Alex with the Visa Gift card and Cinemark Gift cards we gave him.

Dinner time and the boys enjoying a syncronized sip!

McKenna, Courtney, and I ate at a table set up in the downstairs sitting room and exercise room.
Alex was going to sit with us but had to leave before dinner for a work party.

At home with the family at mealtime!! Guess who is the life of the party?



Sorry guys...I didn't warn you that I was going to take your picture!


The Nativity set that you gave Karne, Cheryl! It is so cute!

Greg and Angie opening the gift from us! We gave them a recordable book for one of their gifts
and Greg is already telling a story from the picture that is a sample in the book! Pretty funny!

And then a performance when receiving the brownie mix and dish towel and wash cloth...the clan colors!

Brent and Karen opening their bag of gisfts!


Blurry. That is not your eyes!! They were very excited to get Risk Halo War Games for part of their gift!

Stephanie and Dan with their gifts! What fun we all had!

The finale for our party was the making of delicious Christmas Ice Cream Sundaes! We had some very creative creations! Yummy!

Christmas In the Air 2011

Isn't it fun to decorate for Christmas!?! It is a lot of work but I love it and love how the house begins to look and "feel". Above is my 2011 addition to my Christmas Village...a barn to go with the farmhouse I got last year. The village has grown so much over the years that it has expanded to the bedroom window seats in the bedrooms upstairs and the the large window ledge downstairs in the 2nd family room/exercise room.

The family room village this year with train and tree all lit up for your viewing pleasure! :)

With the festive spirit abounding I decided Elizabeth, my American Girl Doll, needed to join in so I ordered her a Winter outfit from American Girl. She is all decked out and ready for snow...which we got about 2" of this morning. (Stephanie...tell Courtney I have the charm for her. I will give it to her on sunday at our party.)

Cheryl...remember the two vinyls you gave me when I was out there? Well, I decided to buy 2 frames. Then I put black scrapbook paper behind the glass and put the vinyl figures on the front of the glass. Voila...the end result for decorating purposes!

Christmas Celebrations and a Birthday

On Saturday, December 3rd, it was our annual Grandkids Christmas Movie Day...and also the celebration of Logan's birthday! We all met at the District (except for Dan and Stephanie who were preparing for McKenna's gala birthday party to be held that evening) for the movie "Hugo". We had a great time and as you can tell those adorable (?) personalities came out in many facial expressions of mirth!

Afterwards, we all enjoyed lunch at Red Robin just across from the theatre. Yummy! We also gave Logan his birthday present from us (Navy Sweatjacket, Navy sweatpants, and Navy socks that I purchased for him when I visited Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Waukegan
, Ill. with Cheryl and Maddy). See all the happy people!!

This evening for our Home Evening we did our annual tradition of going to see Christmas Lights (wish I could show Dad the house near you, Cheryl!). We went to the Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork (it is a really good display) and then went to McDonalds for our traditional Chicken MdNugget meal! Fun! Isn't Christmas FUN!!!!?!!

Sorry this one is a mite blurry! It is supposed to be a Nutcracker ballerina.

This is a Candy Cane making machine. My camera didn't do the lights justice but I thought I would share just a few pictures. We hope you all enjoy the Christmas Season...each and evey day!!