Post-Christmas Bowling

On Christmas night, we made an attempt to throw together a bowling party, but nothing was open! We would know...we drove around for an hour looking for a place for dinner! Mental note-Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas!

Back to bowling! 

 We were joined by Jer, Lindsay, and Jude, the Amann Family and Wes and Brady (Mamma Syers was home sick). 

Jude sustained a bowling injury, but eventually recovered to have more fun!

 Elizabeth wants to bowl without the help of a ramp...this means balls flying into neighboring lanes and nearly crushing feet...she's learning!

Cora spent a long while waiting and watching balls come up through the ball-retrieving-machine thing!

 Abby loves bowling! And she's never too proud to utilize the ramp.You roll the ball down the ramp, and then you wait...and wait...

 ...and wait for the 7 lb. ball to knock down a few pins.

 Nate's a decent bowler, but he didn't have a great night! 

The kids eventually lost interest in bowling and spent some time running around in circles!

When it was all said and done, Wes won on one lane and Mark won on the other!

But who's keeping score??

Fun times with great friends.

Christmas 2012 Part 8: An Eastwood Family Christmas

Next, Christmas takes us to the Eastwood house for a Christmas day celebration. Because we celebrate Christmas Eve with my side of the family, Christmas day is a laid-back celebration! Mom puts out a wonderful spread of snacks and sandwich fixins! We are joined by my Grandparents and other family members!

 I don't think that the girls could ever get enough of giving and receiving gifts! 

 This is my favorite of Abby's gift-opening faces from Christmas this year!

I downloaded 173 photos tonight, so it's no surprise that my camera battery died at this point. Regardless, both the Christmas Eve and Christmas day celebrations were wonderful! I think that girls brought another meaning to Christmas this year! Life through a child's eyes is so beautiful! 

Thank you Mom and Dad (Ya Ya and Pops) for such a wonderful Christmas! 

We have had a wonderful Christmas and I am sad that it's over but we will look forward to Christmas 2013! 

Christmas 2012 Part 7: A VanDusseldorp Family Christmas

Following our own little Christmas morning celebration at home, we packed up our gifts for family and headed on over to Bruce and Maggie's house for our VanDusseldorp Family Christmas! Maggie made a wonderful spread of quiche and bubble bread!

 With four Grandkids, there were many, many gifts to give! The tree was overflowing! 

 Caleb is at a great age this year! He was very excited to open gifts and immediately play with them! He was very grateful and used his manners very well telling everybody "thank you" and giving out precious hugs all day long!

 Abby is very careful while opening gifts!

 Elizabeth was very excitable! 

 Grandpa helped Jude to open a package of balls! Jude loves footballs!

And then, after an hour of opening gifts, we played!

 The Strawberry shortcake dolls napped on the stairs while Abby, Elizabeth, and Grandpa played Hungry, Hungry Hippos.

 And then the kids enjoyed a few rounds of Elefun!

 Touchdown Jude!

We always attempt to catch a cousins photo!

 Abby said, "ho-ho-ho" in every picture and Caleb has salty-Chex-mix face throughout the photo shoot!

 This one is not too bad.

 And then it was over!

 More play!

Uncle Steve also took a series of family photos and this one actually turned out OK. For some reason, Bruce is always hiding behind somebody!

As always, we had a wonderful time celebrating with the VanDusseldorp Family. We are blessed to have such wonderful family members and are so eager to watch our families grow together throughout the years!

Next stop... The Eastwood Christmas celebration! 

Christmas 2012 Part 6: "Santa was here!"

We woke up to a white Christmas this year! There wasn't a lot of snow, just enough to make the morning that much more special! 

Typically, we have live-in alarm clocks that wake us well before we prefer. However, the girls slept in on Christmas morning. While the day began a little later than expected, it began nonetheless! 

"Santa was here."

 Nathan suggested that Santa wrap Abby's gifts in one color and Elizabeth's in another next year. It will surely eliminate the guessing games as the girls rip through all of their gifts! 

 We started with stockings full of practical gifts such as Bandaids, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc.! Thanks Santa for gifting all of those things that I would have had to buy otherwise!

 Elizabeth's big gift this year was a LeapPad. It wasn't a gift that she had on her list, so she was really unenthusiastic about it at the time. Now she can't take her eyes off of it!

 All Abigail wanted was a pink guitar and a Dora microphone. Santa got her both! She was thrilled.

 Elizabeth REALLY wanted an Easy Bake Oven. I am eager to explore this gift with her. 

 Banjo was given a gift as well and disappeared to her bed for a long while afterwards! 

 Dad helping Elizabeth to explore her new gifts!

Santa also took great care of Nathan and I this year. Nate received golf lessons and 8 rounds of golf! This beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer was found under the tree with my name on it!!! I can't wait to put it to work!

We had a WONDERFUL Christmas morning. The girls were such a joy to be with this year. We developed some wonderful new traditions and enjoyed the many old ones! 

We left our living room a mess and began our Christmas day rounds!

Christmas 2012 Part 5: Christmas Eve at Great-Grandma's House

After a long day of baking, crafting, wrapping, and cleaning, we got all gussied up and went to Great-Grandma's for a Christmas Eve dinner and celebration. Last year's Christmas Eve ended with a trip to the ER so we were hopeful for a smooth-going, enjoyable holiday celebration! 

 The girls were all gussied up! 

 Elizabeth and Abby patiently waited to open presents from Great-Grandma. 

 Sticker books!

 A fancy new helmet for Elizabeth to skate and rider her bike with. 

 The girls took turns playing Santa.

 Even after all of the gifts that Abigail received on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, the stuffed Dumbo from Great-Grandma has to be her favorite gift. 

 "Ho-ho-ho!" Elizabeth playing Santa.

 Watching the snow begin to fall.

 The girls got to open one gift from Mom and Dad before bedtime...

 ...Christmas jammies! I think we will make this gift a tradition. 

 Milk and cookies for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer. 

Nate read The Night Before Christmas before we settled in for a long winter's nap!

Elizabeth thought that it would be difficult to fall asleep, "like the night the tooth fairy came." However, as Nate and I expected, the girls were fast asleep in 15 minutes! Nate and I weren't far behind.