Another Christmas...

My dad and stepmom came on Sunday to celebrate Christmas
 with my family and my sister.  My grandma came too.  The kids
 loved their money (spent today at the toy store), their Barnes and
 Noble cards (spent today also) and their other gifts.  I would say
 the highlight though of this Christmas were the Nerf guns we gave my
 dad and stepmom.  Every time they come to visit, my dad seems to
 enjoy the boy's guns.  As a practical joke, I had Keith pick some up
 at Walmart.  I got a text from my stepmom later that evening that said
she was bruised (ha ha) and that my dad had not put them down.
  How funny, I'm glad they enjoyed them!

Another Christmas was a success in our house and hope
everyone else out there had a very Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas...

 We had a very good Christmas here at the Samuel household.
  The boys loved their MP3 players, scooters, crossbows and
 inflatable deer they use for target practice.  Riley loved her new
 American girl doll, Rebecca, her Barbie boat with the waterslide,
 and her toy blender and dishwasher.  Macey just hung out and
 slept through all of the gift opening.  We then headed to Mamaw
 and Papa's to open gifts.

Riley and new doll Rebecca

Keith's grandma made all of the
kid's quilts.  The boys got firemen,

The girls got princess and Macey
got ballerina

One of Johnny's new Samuel Excavating coats

GG and Macey

Christmas Eve...

This year we are thankful that my mom can join us on Christmas Eve.
  We had a house full of crazies this year and it made it all the more fun!
  The kids loved their gifts and I'd say the adults did too.  Here's my crazy family:

Mandy &Joel

Miss Macey











Gavin's night vision goggles

Richard reads "Twas the night
before Christmas"


Grammy got Riley's doll Molly, the new snowman dress from Branson.  Molly
 and Cindy Lou Who are keeping watch for Santa tonight from the couch.

Santa 2009...

Here are our Santa pics from this year...not bad, and Riley actually sat
 on his lap this year without screaming!  Next year it will probably be
 Macey screaming.  These kiddos are SOOOO darn cute if I may say so myself!

Santa Baby...

Here is our Santa Baby today, all dressed up with no place to go.
 Maybe we will finally make it to see the "real" Santa tomorrow at the Mall.

Almost Done...

Ok, all done Mom!!!

Our Gingerbread House...

We built our second ever Gingerbread House tonight.  These things
 are not too hard but the kids try to eat the candy quicker than we
 can get it on the house.  Our house would probably not win any
 contests, but the kids had a great time doing it.

Here's what Macey did while we decorated the gingerbread house:

See how her face is starting to chunk out
a little?!?  We love to kiss these cheeks!

First Christmas...

Proud Papa

















Yesterday we went to our first Christmas of the season.  It is the one
 where there are about 75 people and we eat and then divide into
 groups of men and women and do a gift exchange.  Miss Macey
 got to meet lots of family for the first time.  Here is Keith's cousin's
 little girl, Savana holding Macey Savannah:

Macey's two favorite cousins, Avery and Andrew, cannot get
 enough of her.  Andrew lays his head on her constantly and especially
 likes her ears.  Avery wants to hold her every second she can.

Avery is pretty fond of Riley too!  My boys literally would not
hold still for one picture!  There was too much running around to do!

Daddy's Birthday and Winter Parties...

Today is Keith's birthday.  I let each of the kids pick what they wanted
 to get him.  Gavin gave him a tape measure, Blake gave him a utility knife,
 Riley gave him some gum, and Riley picked a Payday candy bar for Macey
 to give him.  He loved all of his gifts, I loved that the kids had their own ideas.
  Here is Daddy with all FOUR of his kiddos this morning:

This afternoon the boys had their "winter" parties at school.  Blake's classes party lasted
pretty much all day.  They got to wear their pajamas and when they got to school this
morning they had doughnuts and hot chocolate.  Then they decorated pillowcases and this
afternoon they got to eat popcorn and watch a movie and lay on their pillows.

Gavin's class had snacks and played games.  One of the mom's made these fruit
kabobs that looked like snowmen.  They were so cute!

They always have a school sing-a-long before the parties.  The music teacher picks
different kids to go up on stage and sing songs or dance.  Gavin got chosen to play the
bells during Jingle Bells.  Blake got chosen to dance in a dance-off against several other
kids.  Let me just say, I think Mister Blake got his daddy's dance moves!!!

Blake getting ready for his dance-off.
















This is how Riley and Macey spend lots of time, Riley watches t.v. and Macey stares
at the Christmas lights.

Riley's Christmas Party...

Today I was a helper for Riley's Christmas party at school.  It is the last one I
am signed up for.  I am so sad about that.  Keith has been staying home a lot lately
with Macey so I can Christmas shop, help out at Riley's school, and again tomorrow
while I go to the boy's "winter" party.  It has just been too cold to drag Macey all
around.  Here is Riley with her favorite teacher, Miss Henley:

Miss Henley gave Riley lots of hugs AND kisses before we left the party today.  The
teachers at this preschool are the greatest.  Here is Riley's friend Camryn:

Riley is like a little mommy to a couple of the little girls who are extremely shy.  Camryn
is one of them.  I think Riley likes to be a little bossy with them since she is bossed
around by her brothers at home.