Christmas Eve in Moses Lake

So many pictures I have for you!!!
Let's get started.

Congregating while dinner is being made.

A German Wooden Pyramid. There are inserts you put in that will hold candles. When the candles are lit, the smoke spins it and the little display moves.

Sauerbraten. Mmmmmmm. It's the equivalent to roast beef in the states.

GRAVY!

Two things that should never be without each other.

My parents Advent Wreath all lit up.

It wouldn't be a celebration without the "Mormon Champagne", Sparkling Cider.

Rotkohl (red cabbage), Saurbraten, Spaeztle (Egg Noodles), Mashed Potatoes, Knoodle (dumplings) with herbs, and green beans.

I was soooo full. Full of GOOD food.

After dinner the kids got pretty anxious to open presents.

Which eventually led to rough housing.

Even the smallest were getting involved.

To occupy them until it was time, we tried to get a group picture.

Haha. This was the most successful.

When taking pictures failed us, we decided to start singing some Christmas songs.

"You better not pout", we have some amazing pouters here.

Grandma explained to the youngsters what we are celebrating and who this holiday is for.Then, my dad asked my oldest brother, Ben, to read a beautiful Christmas story called "That Thine Alms May Be in Secret", by George D. Durrant. I HIGHLY recommend it.

So cute. She had to do EVERYTHING he did.

My parents gave all of us married siblings a digital picture frame. I would just like to say that I am so glad to finally be in the Married Siblings Club. They get the BEST presents. Thanks Mom and Dad!

We each also received a gift basket my mom put together. Ty was pleased to find a small Transformer among our treasures.

This year instead of a Secret Santa, my mom really wanted to do a White Elephant. Ty and I came quite prepared with a Portable Ping Pong Set and a Nerf gun.

Perfect gift for my dad.

My sneeky mom ended up with the coveted Nerf gun.

Nana, my mom, gave this light thingy to Baby Jacob. His reaction was priceless!

Seriously?

Opening up their loot from Nana and Papa.

We asked her what she was going to call her doll. For the record her own name is Sammy. She said, "Her name is Sammy. This is me when I was a baby." Haha. I don't believe that she was ever that big as an infant.

Ben received the Nacho Libre Thumb Wrestling Masks. It could not have gone to a better person.

Thumb Cage Fighting.

Even though Steven lost the Nerf gun to my mom (and essentially to my youngest brother Michael) he still put it together anyway.

What I didn't take pictures of was DESSERT!
There were all kinds of delicious yummies including the Lebkuchen and Hazelnut cookies my mom and I made.
Yes, I got fat over Christmas.
No, I don't regret it. : )