I am finally getting to a post about the Christmas season which I am just posting a few of the highlight pictures. Our camera seems to be struggling lately and the pictures are coming out fuzzy and blurred. I guess that makes choosing pictures for posting easier. :)
On the Friday night after Thanksgiving, our little town has a tree lighting or in reality a bush lighting since the tree got cut down two years ago. After the lighting, Santa comes down the street on a fire engine and then you can wait in a really long line to sit on Santa's lap. We have never waited to see Santa, but this year with the weather being decent, we decided to wait with our friends the Crellin's. We took a bunch of pictures with them but they didn't turn out. The wait turned out to be pretty long but it was worth it to get this classic Santa shot which I think every family has: The kid refusing to sit on Santa's lap.
I had a better shot of the kids sitting on Santa's lap but I decided to post this one because of Kelsey's face. Should I be concerned? She has this look about her that says, "Santa Baby!"The kids all got a turn telling Santa what they wanted and then they got a Crayola Magic something coloring book, markers and their own package of Christmas Tree Peeps(both products that are made here). Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
I think Jocelyn was debating whether or not to ask Santa for certain things. It took her a long time to decide.
After we left Santa, we went out side and the kids got on the fire engine. Those pictures too came out blurry but I had to post this one of Ralphie finally happy. I think he liked the big red truck over the big red man.
I am sure I have mentioned this before but Bethlehem is home to the once famous Bethlehem Steel. Places like New York City to the Panama Canal were built from this steel. Any who, they have made from this old factory a casino, a shopping area, a event center and a few other things are in the works. At night they light up the old steel stacks with different color lights to match the season. This year they had a 5 minute light show on the steel stacks. We were exciting something a little more grand but it was their first year...maybe next year will be better?
I think Jocelyn was debating whether or not to ask Santa for certain things. It took her a long time to decide.
After we left Santa, we went out side and the kids got on the fire engine. Those pictures too came out blurry but I had to post this one of Ralphie finally happy. I think he liked the big red truck over the big red man.
I am sure I have mentioned this before but Bethlehem is home to the once famous Bethlehem Steel. Places like New York City to the Panama Canal were built from this steel. Any who, they have made from this old factory a casino, a shopping area, a event center and a few other things are in the works. At night they light up the old steel stacks with different color lights to match the season. This year they had a 5 minute light show on the steel stacks. We were exciting something a little more grand but it was their first year...maybe next year will be better?You can't see the Steel Stacks really in the picture but that's where we were at and once again Ralphie is not having it. Do you think it might be the red hat we keep putting on him?
In my quest to make the Christmas season a little less commercial and more about giving, I decided our family and most of the people we know have an abundance of something: kids.Who loves kids more than anyone in the world: old people. I arranged for us to go Christmas caroling one night at a senior center. There was about 5 0r 6 families and we went to 3 different dining halls singing songs and then the kids passe out candy canes. It was such a neat experience that I definitely want to add that to our Christmas traditions.
The seniors really did enjoy the children and we were all very grateful to share what we had a lot of.
It's so funny how politically correct everything has become. They sang a song about Christmas being about love, Hanukkah and Santa but there was not a single traditional religious Christmas song.
Santa made an appearance and then he went to every class in the school. Kelsey wanted to talk to Santa to make a few changes to her list but I told her it was too late.
The seniors really did enjoy the children and we were all very grateful to share what we had a lot of.
Our choir of angels.
For family home evening one night we made gingerbread house except for I totally cheat and use graham crackers that I hot glue together. It works out a lot better this way.
This is one of Bryce's favorite looks. He looks down and then only looks up with his eyes. We have many a photo of this look. Bryce loved the candy free-for-all.
The Chalet-O-Jocey
The Jackson House of Sweets.
The Kelsey Marshmallow Cottage
The kindergartner's put on a holiday show that is really fun to watch plus Jocelyn loved the excuse to get all dressed up for school.
It's so funny how politically correct everything has become. They sang a song about Christmas being about love, Hanukkah and Santa but there was not a single traditional religious Christmas song.
Santa made an appearance and then he went to every class in the school. Kelsey wanted to talk to Santa to make a few changes to her list but I told her it was too late. 
Jackson's birthday post highlights our Christmas Eve activities so I am going straight to Christmas. Due to the fact that Christmas was on Sunday, we did things a little differently this year. The kids got to open one present and their stocking before church. They were actually quite OK with this plan.
Here they are in their Christmas pj's. Santa brings these the night before and we have had some years where they have matched and some years they haven't. It's probably hard for Santa to get them all to match since the kids sizes are in 4 different sections.
Church was at nine so we had to hurry and get dressed. Church was only sacrament meeting with a lovely musical program. The primary kids sang and even featured a unplanned solo by Kelsey. She loves to really belt things out even he she has no idea what she is singing. Wish I had a video recording of that one. I actually liked going to church on Christmas. I think it helped remind all of us why we celebrate this day.
We managed to snap a picture after church of them all in their Christmas best. Unfortunately the sun was shinning making are picture really washed out.
John-David and I tried to get a picture of us together but our photographers struggled so we has to go to the self-photo which wasn't much better. If we look really tired in this photo it was because well we were. Christmas was a busy time for us.
Kelsey getting anxious to open the presents.
Once again a lot of the pictures turned out blurry so I am just posting a picture for each child.
Jocelyn had wanted an American Girl Doll. We told her that might be a little much for Santa to bring. She got an "Our Generations" doll instead which she seemed pretty happy with.
Jackson was very vague with what he wanted until a week or two before Christmas. Santa just had to use his best judgement. Jackson still loves Star Wars so Santa went with a Millennium Falcon ship. It was a solid choice.
Bryce has a fetish for cleaning supplies. He was rather happy with present of mop and broom. Let's hope he keeps this interest as it has skipped over other siblings.
Kelsey wanted a doll with no specifications of what kind. That makes things a little easy. She got a Rapunzel doll with a matching dress. Since we knew what the girls were asking for and figured Santa would deliver, I decided these dolls were going to need beds. I convinced John-David that making these beds would be easy, which they relatively were, and I made the bedding with the help of my mom. They turned out pretty cute.
After presents we had breakfast and then we just stayed home and enjoyed the today. Later on we had dinner with just the family. It was a very relaxed day which I rather enjoyed.
