Christmas 2013

Cheese! And Merry Christmas!

Eli helped put the ornaments on the tree. Somehow we had about five on one branch. 

We made some Christmas cookies.

The boys loved cutting them out and painting the glaze on them.

Christian's parents had a costume/fancy dress party. The boys went as hunters. I was the deer.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers!

Poor Christian. This was all deer season for him. Not a deer in sight.

Silas and I made snowflakes.

We had Christmas with Shana's family and Mom.

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot is back in style.

Christmas morning stockings.

Christmas dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Playing with their new toys!

Auntie Birthday

Auntie Char's birthday is in February.  Silas helped me make the cake for her birthday celebration that evening. 

Dancing must be an ingredient in a Charlotte cake.

A little shimmying while spreading the flour in the pan.

At Grandma and Grandpa's - Eli disobediently playing with the pots while Zac looks on.

Party animal.

We got a good picture with the birthday girl.

"Mmmm...cake...Can I lick it?"

No, he did not manage to lick the cake.  But he wanted to.

The crowd singing happy birthday.

We got her some goofy glasses.  Just her style.

And some goofy finger eyes while Silas has a balloon in his belly.

Burns' Night

The Scottish celebrate the poet Robert Burns' birthday every year with dinner and dancing every year on the 25th of January.  My father-in-law organized a dinner this year that included the burning of a great pile of wood, eating lots of haggis (or perhaps just a little), reciting some of Burns' poetry (the most famous being 'Auld Lang Syne') and moving in certain formations that some would call dancing.  It was a lovely evening.

My nephew with a slightly more Scottish look to him than normal.

Christian in his kilt.  It was cold outside, so he wasn't willing to go without trousers.

ELI!!!

The burnfire.

Christian waltzing with his sister.

Doing the sword dance, which I'm sure has a proper name that I don't know.

Since we don't have very many ancient battle swords laying around (where are you when we need you Josh?), we had to make do with some of Silas' plastic ones.

I think we all got our exercise in that night.

Silas joined Jasmine in for a dance.

Sophie and Stephen doing a Scottish jig.

Silas trying to do a Scottish jig.

Christian's turn. 

I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the haggis; it was really nice mixed with mashed potato.  I did get a picture of this strange couple:

Oh, that's better.

Christmas 2012

I have lots of pictures and I'm not going to caption each one.  We opened presents with my sister and her family, along with Dad, Jill and the kids, the Saturday before Christmas.

With all the kids, it was a little wild...but a lot of fun.

I brought him home some coffee from Haiti.

Wyatt found the tractor ornament!

Sadie got a kitty cat!  She's trying to say cheese for me.

Christmas morning, opening stockings on our bed.  This is my favorite part of Christmas, the early morning where we all snuggle together and open a few silly presents.

 

Eli really enjoyed opening his presents this year.

 

Christian opening his stocking!

One of my presents, Christian cleaning up after breakfast.  I made cinnamon roll pancakes.

Mid-morning we headed down to Christian's parents house for our first Christmas together since 2001 and first Christmas together in Arkansas.  Such a blessing!

Christian is REALLY enjoying having his parents around.  He's been without them for 13+ years.

There were so many presents and in true Dennett tradition we took all day opening them.  This was a great one for Silas from Auntie Char and Uncle Lynden.

Flopping around in their lounge.

What I've been looking forward to - Stephen's Christmas dinner.

His gorgeous turkey.

You know it's going to be good when it's wrapped in bacon!

Silas was ready for it.

Table and benches built by Grandpa.

Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.  I didn't get a good picture of it after it was set aflame, but it was a good one.

I made sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce and homemade custard.  Eli and Silas loved the custard.

Nom-nom.

A very happy Christmas!