matching cousins or six just ain't gonna happen.

as a christmas gift, gege found matching outfits for all six grandkids.

let the photo session begin, eh? well here is the deal. i have yet to take a picture of six kids that i thought was worthy of printing. i figure i need to give it about another five years and then i might have a sporting chance. ha! so i thought why not use this opportunity to at least practice individual shots.

always the ham, and ever photogenic, setler 4 1/2.

a failed attempt at six, at least they are all happy, right?

spunky funny frances at 21 months.

sweet and very serious about her swinging, daylee at 19 months.

giggly oldest grandchild, vivian 6.

wild but kind, bauer 4.

handsome and hilarious, hayes 19 months.

the big three (please don't even think i got a little three shot).

and all six with our matriarch. like i said...it was fun, but don't expect a group shot for at least three years.

unwrapping

on the 28th the cousins arrived and after an amazing christmas meal complete with joan's yummy dressing and turkey, the unwrapping commenced. bauer was pretty pumped to have "matching dude shirts" with setler.

but possibly even more exciting was vivian's new lalaloopsy silly hair!!

hayes man, always easy to please, was content with eating his wrapping paper. sweet silly boy.

and miss v was kind enough to help frances unwrap her gifts.

which included pretty earrings (for future pierced ears) and a sweet baby giraffe doll.

afterwards the kids all lined up for pictures with their stockings...is everyone looking? it MUST be a christmas miracle!!!

oh wait...picture time is over...this is the classic mother-take-my-picture-in-a-hurry-so-i-can-play-with-my-toy-now smile.

outside

the day after christmas we headed east to the granday's house.

we didn't really have anything specific planned...just time with family.

the thing is...whenever we are there, my children are OBSESSED about being outside!

which fairs well for me, as long as they will take a few moments to oblige their photo-taking obsessed mother. ;)

sometimes the posing is a bit contrived...

but sometimes i capture them in their true element...like having fun on gege and pawpaw's swingset.

or playing with "wheel-y things".

or pure bliss.

or sibling love.

or older sibling admiration.

or...or...well...pure cuteness!

ditto for these swinging little monkeys.

christmas

today was the best christmas i can remember.

we didn't go anywhere.

but we sure did have a lot of fun.

there weren't a lot of expensive big gifts.

but some very special visitors.

some yummy unexpected treats.

a hiesman pose or two (of course!).

and much much love. like i said....best christmas to date! :)

christmas eve

i might be guilty of trying to pack too many things into one day....just maybe. so i admit this christmas eve was no exception. BUT...it turned out to be one of the best busiest days ever! we started off the day with my hs roomies: aunt cyn (and her fab man uncle kyle) and aunt jenny (and her fab hubby nick and sweet baby max). after a great breakfast, and some much needed catching up...we all needed to hurry and head to out to see our families, but not before we captured our annual asms-aunties photo!

next stop aunt kaylynn's and uncle nick's. where we were joined by my nephew, cody, and his beautiful wife, ashely...

and LOTS of presents!

this was really frances' first experience with christmas (she was so tiny last year) and man did she love it! my favorite part though was watching how excited vivian and bauer were FOR her.

and of course, how sweetly and patiently uncle nick opened every single package. (why in heaven's name do they insist on packaging things like they are going to need to survive an atomic bombing?!)

bauer was super thrilled to get a cool knight's cape.

and vivian couldn't wait to get home and start reading with her new tag.

did i mention there were LOTS of presents? ;) but of all the pics...this is still my favorite.

vivian telling uncle nick thanks. every single time i see it...well...i feel it, and it make "my heart smile" as my wise older sister would say.

yep...heart smiling! :)
soon it was time to head home and prepare for our own santa visit.

bauer had the job of deciding what santa needed. cookies, a cutie, and a glass of water. elfie approved. (apparently for the record, santa is "tired of milk, it makes his belly hurt and big.")

next we threw out our reindeer food (thanks, ms. lauren)...

and finished our letter to santa and headed to bed...can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!!