As, I stated in an earlier post, this season was really special for us. Christmas is all about birth and I really feel that what Emmie has been through has, hopefully, given her new life…a new birth. What a blessing to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one who gave everything to give us eternal life. And if felt, at the same time, we were able to celebrate the new birth for our Emmie! Oh how I pray it is a new birth and new life for her!
Candlelight service at church 
Lights at the park 
Sibling shop window shopping
Our Christmas Eve was busy but fun!
Several kids made gifts for each other. This was a sweet present from Ceili Rain.
I love it when we catch their excited reactions to gifts.
Zoe wanted to get Mark a fun t-shirt. She was this and just knew he needed it. It’s from Animaniacs’ Pinky and the Brain. Any time the kids ask what we’re doing, Mark responds with this. Every. Single. Time.
The kids asked for an upgrade from our archaic Wii to a less archaic Wii U. We totally surprised them because they opened all of their gifts (which were labeled with random numbers that I kept a legend of) and it wasn’t in there. We told them to make sure we had opened every gift and to check the tree. In the tree was an envelope that sent them all around the house for clues and ended with them having to recite our church’s memory passage before getting their gift. They were ecstatic.
I guess you can imagine what most of the rest of the day involved.
Zoe celebrated her birthday.
Cousin Jacie met Tobin.
All the cousins!
Present time!
Emmie was a trooper but one time was enough.
After a couple of rounds with the guard, several of our kids took off.
Then he asked for a family movie night to watch Polar Express. We had hot chocolate, sweet treats and broke out our Christmas pjs!
Christmas day and our annual picture by the tree.
Tobin was obviously impressed by the festivities.
Mark decided a few years ago to start a Fonatini collection. I look forward to what he adds to it every year.
Sleeping baby cuddles…yes! Even if I was getting choked!
Right after Christmas, our “god” daughter and her family sent us a yummy treat box! Everyone was excited at all the fun stuff!
Chess is always a must when they visit.
We celebrated Zoe’s birthday…
And Liam’s
Grandmere helped with our annual pretzel dipping.
Papa & Grandmere gifted us with a 
Tobin got some sweet cuddles too.
A local church puts on a lights display that is insanely busy and huge…This was our second trip. We didn’t get a chance to go last year but made sure we could get over there this year.
Our local town’s Christmas parade is very near our house. When we were parking and unloading, we noticed another large and familiar van…that of our neighbor’s. Camping out with another large family, we also met yet another large family. Naturally, we had to round up as many of our kids as we could to get a quick picture. Nope, this isn’t all of them. I think there were about 26 in all (but some kids were marching in the parade).
Our church’s Christmas party meant Tobin got lots of snuggles.
Mark and I were in charge of coming up with games and the cling wrap game was a must. Wrap up gifts in cling wrap until you make a big ball. The person sitting next to you rolls the dice. When they hit a double, you pass the cling wrap ball to that person etc.
Aside from goofy things like a pack of silly moustaches, we also hid a gift card to a nice restaurant. 
Going up the very snowed over driveway. We didn’t dare try to make it all the way around and stopped before it got really icy.
Emmie was beside herself. As soon as we saw the white stuff, she started making plans. “Somebody’s going to frow snow in my face. Aggghh Din we can build a snowman and knock it down and build it again. Maybe we can cwimb on da cars and get more snow.”
Tobin meeting his Aunt Yaya for the first time.
Cousin J loves to cuddle up with Emmie.
He and Abbie’s cousin-in-law were pretty smitten with Tobin too.
Enough with the indoors…time to head outside and get cold!
Emmie wanted to throw snow at Ace. Here she is “throwing” snow at Ace.
The main snowman.
Emmie and Malachi’s snowman.
An attempt at a really big snowman.
Cousin E and Aunt Yaya getting some loving.
