It's the Most Bloggable Time of the Year

Every year, us Ramey's drive over to Grandma Joanne's to assemble her tree. It's a fun tradition, and who doesn't love putting lights on 2 trees a year!? Conli loved having free reign
She was so proud of the placement this has nothing to do with christmas, but a couple weeks ago, sweet Lindsay took the girls to her house to play. Sawyer lasted a bout 20 minutes before she took a dozer on the chair. She's hilarious- she's at that age where I don't know whether to put her down for a nap or just keep her up....oh bother!
And this was going to be our christmas card this year....we might like donuts a little bit round here

Max's first grade Christmas Program rocked. He wasn't too stoked about it right at this moment, but the boy sang his little heart out. Have I mentioned I could listen to him sing all day long. He loves it, and he's perfect at it!

conli sporting the mask for my favorite song of the evening- however, don't judge me on the fact that I can't remember what it was called..but it was cute.
We were so happy that Aunt Karri and Mana came to watch!

our family is so good to us!

Sabra & Mark threw a rockin christmas party also!!!!!

The food was to die for! And the company was excellent!!!!!

They had all of us bring a bag of candy. The surprise was that we would make gingerbread houses!!! YEAH!!!! fUnny how once us ladies started building, the boys made their way down stairs...hmmph!
Sum's frosting got the best of her

Samantha and I showcasing our mad skills

More building. I think here I was working on my family room- with a sectional and everything!

Saturday morning was Breakfast at Kneaders for Sum's BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
holy deliciousness!
Can you say all you can eat french toast????

katie-lori-sum

steph-phoenix-easton

lindy-heath-tiffy (table saver extroadinaire)

That evening, our annual Hillam Family Christmas Party commenced. JD was in charge this year and it was awesome!
For the first hour, these 5 little ones hung out in a room with chalk. It was all they needed!

oh, and they played on the stairs

After divulging in all the good eats for an hour- um, full?- twas time for my part of the evening- the Nativity. It went on without a hitch, and was good i do believe!

Karri, me and Sawyer, listening

Pretty much Sawyer was in a bad mood this whole night Mara got fed up with her angel costume and gave Sawyer a go, that calmed her down for a bit. Sweet sister Conli was helping with her halo

can you feel the excitement?

then the fakies came out to play....oh that whine...and that face....it's my nemesis

but what a beautiful angel she is!

da boys

Ok, for 3 weeks straight, Sawyer's been DYING to see "San Klos". She carries around and sleeps with this stuffed Santa we have at home and she talks about how she loves him and can't wait to sit on his lap. Well, the clan started singing Jingle Bells, St. Nick waltzed in jingling and she about had a hernia. She sat like this, bawling her little eyes out for about 10 minutes straight. So. Sad.

although, after seeing her cousins and siblings get some presents, she contemplated going up when it was her turn. Unfortunately, when her name was called, she had another hernia. She did manage the guts to wave hello a couple times though.

Max's goods

Conli's turn!!!!

Apparently, when she gets nervous, she now twirls her hairs...???

I think I love this present more than her....a barbie, with a magnetic pregnant belly, and a baby that fits inside it....it's the cutest thing I ever saw!

Cute Soy and Grandma

JD also decided to bring back the christmas pinata this year. I guess they always had one when the kids were little and it kind of fizzled out as they all grew up. the little ones loved it, and Karri and Breanne were even prepared with individual goodie bags for all the kids so no one would be left out! After a couple whacks with the blindfold on, Conli realized it was much easier w/o it!

Love the concentration in his tongue!

Such strong pinata fighting boys

The noise of the whacking was too much for poor Con's ears to handle- so tender

Ramey family christmas card picture 2009- since we didn't get one done----and i hate that!!!! Please feel free to print it out and pin it up on your "friend" board...i know i would

Right after our family party, Brent rushed me up to Sum's Bday Part II. Maybe we ate some gooey caramel corn.....so what if i took the last parts and gooey leftovers to the family room with me...

big whoop, i'm a piggy wiggins

Kristin, Meta, Sum, Me, Jess, Sabra and Katie- the party goers

ok, this day was monumental because not only did Jessica make my girls thee cutest skirts EVER this day just out of the goodness of her heart, and not only did she have like 30 kids wreaking havoc in her basement...oh the popcorn, but Brent got in a car accident this day! Yes, we only have one car, and now it's at the shop! OH the Pain!
But as blessing go- and we've seen more than our share this month- our insurance was intact and had a rental car provision so we ARE sporting a dodge caravan- and maybe we're loving it! It's like our own little private jet- kids pull the handle, the doors slide open, they leisurely walk back to their seats...it's quite fabulous- but don't tell anyone i said that.
oh- and yes, brent was ok- another tender mercy from our Heavenly Father.

So, Christmas Eve last year and this, has found new dress ups at Mana's house. I love how grown up Soy looks here....i love me these girlies!

Christmas Eve din din at Mana's. We missed J & Chris! For some reason, Conli found it necessary to dine topless- hope that's not a sign of things to come!

Loving Pat's face in this picture- maybe he thinks I take alot of unnecessary pictures- well, better just give in and enjoy it! There's no stoppin me now!

Brent found out where Santa was for the boys= so excited!

It became time to make the festive Christmas Eve Cookies- which the boys took upon themeselves to make yule logs...we'll say.....wowsers
but they had a blast- that's all that counts

Sawyer loved unwrapping the kisses- and maybe she ate a few- and maybe she inherited the crazy eye from her mama...maybe

Karri joined in on the Xander sugar eating contest and won...oh so kissable!

The girlies with their mana!

EAT THAT PIE!

Pat blessed us all with some nog nog also! Delicious- oh Zuka, we love you!

Just cuz I love her

more glamour shots

Sawyer wasn't AS glamorous, but this is Sawyer- how could we ask for anything more?!

Brent even got in on the beauty action

Christmas Eve Jammers from Mana!
my children are easily pleased!

Soy wanted them on NOW

So cute....
don't worry that the girls' were a bit tight...they're growing

Another Ramey Tradition- hanging the stockings up on Christmas Eve. Sawyer thought she had to wear the stocking...silly Sawyer

TA-DA!!!
Now, sing Jingle Bells!

when we got home, we had a couple other Christmas Eve gifts to open from "Santas Elves." Some DARLING jammies, and Mickey's Christmas Carol.
Seriously- whoever you are- you little Elves, you changed our lives this year.
The goodness from your hearts to ours- all of you- I can't even explain how blessed and loved we feel. This was THEE.BEST.CHRISTMAS.EVER.
And we had NOTHING to do with it.
the gifts just kept coming, and coming, and coming.

I pray that you are ALL blessed for the giving you gave. You will be in our hearts FOREVER

Our three greatest blessings

Sweetness

Le Tree

Upon finding Santa's treasures the next morning, our cup runneth over.

Max went to the 5th grade store a few weeks ago and bought presents for his sisters and his dad- what am I chopped liver? just kidding!- this was right after Con opened her clippies he got her.....cutest moment...love her chuggers

the bestest softest blankies...seriously people, you read our children's minds......
how did you do it!!!!!?????

this was the novel gift Max got for Brent!! I was dying...he was soooo excited to see Brent's reaction--- I told him he better be excited!

Ky made these cutest blocks!

After the morn at our house was over, we headed over to Mana's for EVEN more goodness!
Despite all the gifts for this one, she preferred playing in the paper and eating her goldfish over anything else!

My christmas SLIPPIES!!!!! THANK YOU CHRIS!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

J & Chris and J's new 40th anniversary book of Sesame Street- it's super cool!

Mom even got me a snuggie...ultra plush...with pockets...it's my kind of heaven.
Snuggie- check!
Slippies- check!

Perfection on christmas- check!

Young love

"where are the kids?"

Hmmm...zombies on christmas?

I LOVE the perfectness of conli's arms and the paper in this picture, but check out Soy's face...hehehehe!

young jedi master- love Karrinew beautiful Princess and the Frog Jammies, and coloring books!

time for Brent to get goin on the breakfast garbage!!!!!! YUMMY!!!!!

And Mana's christmas waffles!

After all was said and done, Mana forgot she had one more present for our girls. it was the one thing I was most excited for them to get- the barbie dollhouse from Costco....best ever. Conli kinda liked it if you can't tell! and it's a good thing, cuz I'm pretty sure it's as big as her room and she's going to join her barbies as they sleep in it!

I had her recreate the reaction to seeing this beloved gift because the real one turned out too fuzzy! And recreate the moment she did- gladly!!! luckily she was kind of still in the moment

After all the hullabaloo of this amazing miraculous morning, we had yet one other stop to make- Grandma Joanne's!!! So, we loaded up the car, and drove to P-Town where the kids received their annual christmas ornament gift, and a couple other goodies.

Post nappy nap for Brent- just an ittle one, we packed up our stuff and headed up to Logan courtesy of Jesster for a Roberts Family Christmas. What a long wonderful day it had been and would continue to be! We weren't even able to lift off until 4:00 and the day had just flown by!!!! That's the sad part about Christmas Day, it flies by every time!

Here am I sporting the car snuggie- Brent's super d. duper grateful for this because now I can stay warm w/o blasting the heat....him no likey the heat

We got to Logan just in time for a delicious Christmas dinner where Mr. Colton joined us!

Post dinner play doh fun for the ladies

and lego building for the men folk

Jess, as usual, got in some sneaky picture business

even when i tried to do it when he wasn't looking

Saturday was spent shopping. We were lucky to get some dinero for Christmas so I purposely left church clothes out of the suitcase for this excursion north. You think I'd remember where north was and realize that there was a slim chance I'd be finding me something right? Well, I didn't think about it, i was too excited to buy mama some new attire....too bad for me. After 5 blessed hours of walking around Logans' ginormous mall- i mean really people of Cache Valley- get a better mall!!!!! I found nothing, nada, zero, zilch!!! LAME

to make up for the pit in my stomach, we ventured across the way to Texas Roadhouse for some nummy lunch!!!!! Oh Deliciousness get into my belly!

Delectable as usual!!! Good form Roadhouse!!!
Sunday was great, and never you worry, I found me some church clothes in mom and kyli's closet! We just lounged around. Watched movies and the like. Church was great, dinner was great. And Sawyer was PLUM.TUCKERED.OUT. couldn't even finish her dinner.....

poor baby!

so. when all is said and done, and we look back at this holiday season for years to come. I think it's going to top the list. Again, if any of you "elves" are reading this=from the bottomest of our hearts, we love you. we thank you. we wish we could give you the love and joy and hope you gave us. You were our christmas miracle.