Christmas With the Fosters- Every Single One!

This was a really special Christmas for us, my favorite so far.  We got to have my entire family together for Christmas for the first time.  Before my youngest sister, April was born, I was already off to college and soon after, people on missions or married, etc. 

Marty arrived first from BYU-Idaho for Christmas Break.  Shortly after, my parents and April flew in.  We went to Boise and finished up their Christmas shopping. 

When John and Rachele arrived, the women there got dressed up and went to the Nutcracker Ballet together.  I take Brielle every year (and Lainey too starting next year!) so it was fun to have more family with us for the tradition.  

At the Nutcracker

My mom really wanted to give back with the whole family so Dad dressed like Santa and everyone pitched in to give to a family in need.  It was a fun effort- shopping, wrapping stations, and doing it all together.  Dad made a good Santa.

We couldn't find our copy of the old "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" cartoon as it's our tradition to watch it.  But everyone lounged around over the days watching Christmas movies with the kids like the recently made Grinch movie.  There were a couple of Lord of the Rings marathons between Marty when he came and my dad when he came.  We made plenty of good use of the theater!

This movie upstairs...

Dad, making his awesome nacho dip for a movie.

We let the kids decorate a tree upstairs- they're bedrooms and 

pay room are up there so it is their territory.

We decorated gingerbread houses.

John and Rachele showing us their gingerbread vulkswagon bus!

We had a puzzle out for ongoing progress over the day they were here- 

my mom's favorite picture of the Savior.

We attended our ward's Christmas Program

The kids had a visit from Santa there.

 On Christmas Eve, my good friend, Kerri, came and donated a few minutes 

of her family's time to snap a few pictures of our family. 

After the picture, a few of Todd's family members came and we all did a big group WOD together in the gym.  Nice to burn off the sugar- I let my gaurd down over the holidays and it HURT!  I think I'm still bouncing back to a happy stomach from it.

When evening came, we gathered around the living room and dad read the real Christmas Story in Luke, and then "The Night Before Christmas."

Levi sent me this picture from his phone.  I LOVED it.  So sweet.  I also LOVE seeing 16 stockings hanging from the mantle all at once :).

With as many musical individuals, you can imagine we sang LOTS and LOTS of songs.  It's really something special to be a part of a family that can burst into song in 4+ part harmony and sound like a fabulous and well rehearsed choir.  I honestly feel like the least musical person in my family with their extreme talents and I LOVE music! 

Christmas Morning reactions as the kids came down from their bedrooms!

Finding their stockings.

We held the kids off until 8:00 am but it was a VERY late night for most of us.  

A room full of sleepy heads. :)

Mom and Dad had a super soft blanket for everyone to choose from.

Lainey with her new vanity.

Ashton with his new hex bug.
 Brielle with her kid-video camera.

Mom got a ukalele.

Making whipping cream for Christmas Breakfast- waffles!

Scott is our waffle king, he and Marty teamed up and made them for everyone.

Everyone pitched in on food preparation each meal which made it fun and fast.

Devan, helping Ashton put together his lava lamp.  It's what he asked for for Christmas...

Bed head and no make up...

Devan started early making our Christmas dessert- Creme Brule.  It was delish!

Puttin' together toys.

Lainey using her pretend makeup present on Maura.

Lainey did Maura's hair too while she was sleeping...

On Christmas Day there were naps, movies, lots of cooking collaborations, and we also played a fun game.  We each got a small note pad and pencil and had to write a word for the person counter-clock-wise to draw.  They would flip the page and draw it, then pass it again counter-clock-wise.  That person would guess what the drawing was and write their word/phrase for it on the next page and so on.  No one was ever allowed to go backwards to peek at pictures or words.  The fun part was getting your not pad back (full circle) and showing everyone the evolution of your word.  Like playing telephone, only with pictures.  It.  Was.  Hilarious what some words panned out being drawn like or what some pictures were guessed to be.  I can't wait to play this again with my family.  They're the perfect humor for it :).  Sadly, no pictures, but people were laughing so hard they could cry.

Setting up for Christmas dinner.

After dinner we did a talent show.  This is Ashton doing his push ups.  

I can't remember what he did then, but he's up to 90 in a row right now!

Marty and April doing a duet.

Todd demonstrating how he can keep the ball away from all three kids.

Marty on guitar.  Devan and Scott and Dad also played guitar.
I thought I got more pictures that night but this was all I could find.

Mom, Levi, and Rachele Sang, Maura did a trick, Nicholas walked on his hands, 

John deadlifted, and I did 45 consecutive pull ups. :)

The next day everyone played in the snow a bit before they had to leave for their respective homes.

Which of course meant a snow ball fight...

...and a sadistic snow man... naturally...

I miss my family!  The day they left, rather than feel ready to rest from hosting, I just felt sad to see them leave.  I LOVE having a big family and having them ALL together.  So many fun flavors make such a thrill of a time.