Christmas with the Davenports

Kara and Addison couldn't come on Christmas, so they came a few weeks before.  I swear, every picture I have of Kara is reading to Tyler and Addison...

Everyone enjoyed opening presents, but I think Tyler and Addison's favorite part was playing outside on the swing set.

While Tyler napped, the girls made chocolate-covered pretzels.  Other than being a bit stingy with the sprinkles, Addison was a natural!

A few days after Christmas, the rest of the crew came to the house.  There was lots of food, lots of eating of said food, and lots and lots of present-opening (we kept it under 4 hours this time, I think!).

                                    

                         

  

Exhausted yet?  Tyler was, too, and stopped to eat a snack!

    

Teal jackets!

I've never entertained that many people (other than for a party), but Mom and Dad graciously supplied Brunswick Stew and pimiento cheese, so it was fairly easy!  I made some Christmas goodies and a Feliz Navidad feast, and we were all set!

Christmas with the Selfs

The weekend before Christmas, we headed to Nebo to celebrate with Jason's family.  In my list-making, Christmas-packing mania, I somehow managed to leave my camera at home, so we'll have to rely on Jason's pictures.

Beth and Jake graciously hosted us, and we had a really great time, especially watching the little guys (Sawyer and Tyler) playing with their new loot.

loved this idea!

new mittens

There was lots of playing at Nana and PawPaw's house, too, but we didn't happen to get pictures of that.  Tyler got to play with Nana's chickens and learned about pianos.  Everyone else got to hear my awesome singing of "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star" over and over and over as Tyler requested I play it on the piano and sing it.

Tyler also gave lots of hugs:

Christmas at Home, Part 2

"Tyler, who came last night?"

"SANTA!"

not sure about that face!

his very own "Hot Dog," so we wouldn't have to constantly show him the Hot Dog Dance video (it didn't work...)

 Tyler needs a little work on his jumpshot, so we just stuck with dunking.

His big gift was a tent and tunnel.  When he came downstairs, he saw it and immediately said "Addison!" because his cousin has a tent.  We had to explain to him that it was his tent.

We all joined in playing in the tent!

"Hey, Mom?  That's cool and all, but get out of my tent"

He's obsessed with keys (what little kid isn't?), and Santa found these metal keys that come with buttons that make honking, ignition, lock/unlock the doors, etc. sounds.  I have to be clear -- at no point did we stage/direct Tyler to do any of the following things:

"lock" his Chris-moose after he got off of it

try to unlock the door

no really, that's what he's trying to do!

Christmas at Home, Part 1

Since Santa was coming on Christmas Day, we decided as a family to open presents on Christmas Eve.  Jason got most of the pictures, so the awesome in-focus ones of me and Tyler are his.  The dark (because our house is a cave) fuzzy ones of him are mine.

that's a toy eggplant, in case you were trying to figure it out...

loving the tissue paper

dino hooded towel = love

my "ooh, pretty!" present-opening face

my "ack!  can't believe you got me this!" present-opening face

quick wardrobe change to try on my new science shirt

Jason's present-opening face

my ... ? ... present-opening face (top-quality hot cocoa, btw, ruins you forever)

Tyler's "neigh!" face

admiring Jason's frugal wrapping job

Jason trying to wrangle Tyler, who was. just. not. having. it. during the present-opening

new shoes!!!!

... I'm not cut out for this "photographing a toddler" business

Tyler's guys from IKEA
Best $5 ever

Can you tell he likes his new rocking moose?