Christmas Morning

A wonderful white Christmas for the Lewis family! Everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves as shown in pictures below. A & B couldn't resist helping E with her gifts, but luckily she didn't mind so much and still had fun.
general scene....
who liked the train book better? B or T?
E all decked out: dancing skirt, scarf & gloves! Couldn't be happier!
Dad's present to A & B: house & slide - cardboard house with bridge and slide = huge hit!
air hockey table, even E was excited to play!
A scores!
A decked out in her cowboy boots, "BY Cougars" sweatshirt (missed the hat in this picture)

Christmas Nativity

The Lewis' invited another family over for the nativity role-play. A loved being Mary, Brayden as Joseph, Haley was a shepherd and wiseman, B refused to participate (in a NO mode) and E enjoyed the show!

Christmas Tree!

The only way A was able to leave Georgia happy was that she was told if she went home she could put up the Christmas tree. So after a long day of driving (getting home at 8pm) she quickly brought things in and announcecd it was time to put the tree up! With a little convincing she agreed to wait til "tomorrow" (= not now). So you can imagine what happened as soon as she arrived home from church! Time to put up our Christmas tree! Due to needing some rest she had to wait until that evening, but the time finally did come! Though decorating was yet the next evening - baby steps.
helping hold it up and get it put together - good thing the Lewis' have a fake tree - the bribe wouldn't have been feasible!
B helping with the top piece
Then the ornaments.....ever so carefully placed.... and re-placed...still being re-placed....kids love the tree!
Showing us the light switch and adding ornaments
Even E was in awe - what wonder and amazement!

Early Christmas

Before leaving for the holidays, Santa stopped by the Lewis' home. The much abridged highlights:
A Barbie for A,
Thomas Train for B,
And E enjoyed all the excitement

The next morning was spent packing up for the trip. So when the Lewis' returned, it was like Christmas all over again (for the 3rd time)!

Ward Christmas Party

Last night (news is being reported promptly) was the big day....meeting Santa Claus. Surprisingly both A and B were anxious to sit on his lap (E was sleeping). The biggest hit had to be the cleanup: smashing all the empty presents!
There was a beautiful, tall Christmas tree in the center with tables from the center heading out - no place for kids to run around crazy! Okay so they still tried, but wasn't so obnoxious as usual.
A's turn with Santa
And B
smashing boxes with some wrestling WWF style
Cute little 6 mo Kayla scooting for the remains of the chocolate pie!

Christmas is Coming

The Lewis household is anxiously getting things ready for Christmas!

Lights strung on the house....
With help from G-pa's

First run through the Christmas story with the kids & G-ma

A good little Mary with baby...Jesus in a red dress?
Recieved our first Christmas card - compliments of Brandon and Valerie Miller!

A couldn't wait for the real ornaments and started with the Barbie's and animals laying on branches
Then G-ma helped with actual ornaments

Christmas!

A relaxed Christmas was enjoyed by the Lewis family this year. Christmas eve everyone got their pajamas, or like unto pajamas (made by Jacqie) to wear for the evening. Christmas day was of course enjoyed with presents and a nice dinner in the afternoon when a friend from church was invited to join them. A few highlights below:
Abie liking her new frilly robe and nightgown
Benjamin's new cozy sleep sack
immediately making use of the wagon from Grandma (opening presents in it)
Lounging around in his new robe finishing a good book
Yes, Jacqie was taking most of the pictures...

Meeting Santa

This was Benjamin's first encounter with the man in red. Last year he was happily sleeping and missed his opportunity.

Obviously he wasn't so sure about this idea.

Then add Abie ....

She said she wanted to see him and was all excited, but when it was her turn she turned off all emotion, nearly frozen.

Aquarium Stand

Here is the aquarium in the Lewis home. Notice the "leaning" tower it rests on (it may not be obvious in the picture, but the tower is resting on the corner wall). It was never meant to be "baby" or "toddler"-proof initially. It was simly a quick fix that would later be upgraded. Abie is now 21 months and Benjamin nearly 4 and it has finally been upgraded!

Taylor went to work in making the cabinet that Jacqie designed in AutoCAD. However Taylor then put it in Solid Works for a full 3-D rendering before actual construction (those crazy engineers) Merry Christmas to Jacqie (and the Lewis family)!