MERRY CHRISTMAS, indeed!

Christmas was MUCH awaited this year, especially after the disappointment of Wayne's flu on Christmas Eve.  We woke up, got dressed, opened our stockings - oh yeah. Can you believe I didn't get any pictures of us doing our stockings???  I got video, but no pictures.  Unbelievable.  Anyway...  We opened our stockings, then headed for Cedar Hill for a Christmas morning breakfast!  Dad helped by holding Wyatt, who was not feeling too social so soon after waking up.

By breakfast though, everyone was perking up.  We had waffles, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, strawberries, whipped cream... and a chocolate to finish it all off!  :-)  The boys and Madelyn scarfed it down, and I think Treven did too, but I was too busy watching the boys to notice!  :-)

There was a "cooling off"period after breakfast, where ALL the kids wrestled in the family room before opening gifts.  They were all jittery and beyond excited to ALL be together, which has been awhile.  Woo-hooo!

Goober-Boy is just to silly!

Doesn't this look like trouble?  Monkey see, monkey do.  Weston and Wyatt were scoping out there gifts!

Patiently waiting... for awhile.  Not long after this he found the present with his name on it, that sounded like Legos, and started unwrapping it before anyone noticed!

And that's when I noticed!

Not even my umpteen expensive Nikon could focus fast enough to catch Weston's precious smile... I'll settle for the blurred picture, that reminds me of the moment.

The annual cousin picture... in jammies from Grandpa and Grandma.

And check out this carboard load in Dad's truck!!!  YIKES.  Can you say SPOILED???

 

When it was all said said and done, the presents opened, the food vanished, and the paper cleaned up, we were EXHAUSTED but we were BLISSFULLY HAPPY too.   We had spent the day together with our kids, family, we were able to relax and enjoy ourselves.  We had the privilege of giving handpicked gifts to people that we love.  We had the privilege of celebrating the birth of Jesus together, and with our kids.  It was a PERFECT day.

There's another bun in the oven....

But it's NOT my oven and it's not my bun!!!  :-)

I'm going to be an AUNT again!  My sister is expecting in early July.  Ryan and soon to be BIG SISTER Madelyn are over the moon excited, and so am I!

Oh boy, that means that by next Christmas, we'll have SEVEN grandkids that are all 5 and UNDER!  The question is... how many will be girls, and how many will be boys?

Christmas Eve part 2

Ethan and the rest of his family stopped by before church so that Ethan and Wayne could exchange gifts (they had each other in the name exchange!)  Both boys were just a little excited to be reunited!

And Wayne LOVED his gift!

And Wyatt was just... happy as usual!

After the Scheib's left, Wayne settled in for a quick book, and then ALL THREE kids were in bed and ASLEEP before 6:45pm.  The boys were exhausted, and needed to recharge before the BIG DAY!

Christmas Eve - not what we expected

Christmas Eve arrived...  and I was woken by Wayne saying his tummy hurt, and then helping him sprint to the bathroom toilet and....  you fill in the blank!  Poor guy.  As soon as he could catch his breath he said to me, "I don't think I should eat anything at Auntie's party today, I might puke on everyone!"  I had to tell him... there would be no party for him that day.  I expected him to melt down and cry for hours, but it was only a 2 minute cry before he was distracted by his own "I'm sick" misery.  Poor little guy!  Of all the kids, he is the one that really understands what Christmas means, what happens at the parties, and... he was going to miss out!  We laid around the house all morning, and I got everything ready for Tyler to take Weston and Wyatt to the party on their own.  It was his immediate family's celebration, at his sister's house.  About an hour before they had to leave, we had Wyatt finish his Christmas presents from the day before. 

Wayne perked up a bit for presents, but then crashed HARD and spent the next two hours with me snuggling on the couch, watching a Hallmark movie, which tells you how bad he was feeling! For me, it was strange getting almost everyone and everything ready, all while Wayne and I were still in our pajamas.  Tyler, Weston and Wyatt left, and then the house was QUIET.  After the movie, Wayne played for a few minutes, ate a piece of toast, and then went down for a 2 1/2 hour nap.  I even took a quick nap too!  While I was sleeping....

The part went on!!!  Not much to narrate, since I wasn't there, but from the pictures (Tyler had a 20 count quota to meet) it looks like they had a blast. 

These little Lego headlights are adorable!  Diane and Duane gave them to all the boys, and they loved them!  And I love this picture...  it makes me wonder what Weston has in his mouth that he snuck off of the table he's hiding under!

The boys all got a joint gift from Diane and Duane, the Toy Story 3 Geotrax set.  Weston opened it at the party, and then later they drove out to have Wayne re-open it, since he was feeling quite a bit better after his nap!  He was soooo excited.

All the boys love it and play with it a lot, even Wyatt!

More Than a Story to Me

 It's 9:46pm, and I'm ready to head to bed.  It's been a WONDERFUL Christmas, a sweetly fabulous time.  We've seen family and friends, opened gifts, eaten great food, and had so much fun.  The boys are all sleeping in their beds, even Tyler who has to work tomorrow and leave by 5am.  Our tree is down - we thought leaving it up for even one more day was too much of a fire hazard, the gifts are opened, and it's all over!  I'm not sad, rather, I am OVERJOYED as I sit here.  While spending time with family and friends, and giving and getting gifts are something we do, they are NOT why we celebrate.  I know how much we anticipated the birth of each of the boys, Wayne, then Weston, then Wyatt.  I can imagine how much Mary was anticipating the birth of her son, and all of the questions she must have had.  And through all that, she had faith.  I cannot understand, to my very core, how God could give us his son to endure what he did, just to save me.  And that God KNEW he would do this, 1600 or so years before he did!!!  You see, not only am I amazed at all that God knew, but I am equally if not more amazed at all of the prophecy and covenants he made, saying he would do what he did. 

And I am grateful, so grateful, for the birth of Jesus.  That he came, that he lived a sinless life, and that he died on the cross and covered my sins.  For me, the Christmas story is much more than just a story.  It is not a fairytale, but rather a historical account of God keeping his promises.

Luke 2:1-20 (The Message)

 ^1-5About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David's town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. He went with Mary, his fiancée, who was pregnant.

 ^6-7While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth to a son, her firstborn. She wrapped him in a blanket and laid him in a manger, because there was no room in the hostel.

An Event for Everyone

 ^8-12There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God's angel stood among them and God's glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."

 ^13-14At once the angel was joined by a huge angelic choir singing God's praises:

   Glory to God in the heavenly heights,
   Peace to all men and women on earth who please him.

 ^15-18As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. "Let's get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us." They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.

 ^19-20Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they'd been told!

Celebrating as a Family

Wayne LOVES having family days, when we are all home together "as a family."  On Thursday, we decided to have a CHRISTMAS family day!  We started the day getting ready, and then we all had bubble bread together.  The boys scarfed it down, and it was ooey, gooey goodness, for sure!  Then it was time for the main event.. presents!

I know that most kids tear into their presents, and the moment is over in a flash, but for us, it's an ALL DAY affair.  Perfect!  We had such a great day, just together opening presents, playing, and eating.  Wayne was feeling a little off, but still totally enjoyed all his presents, giving presents, and playing with all his new toys.  Weston was so cute, he really got how to tear into a present, and the paper would FLY as he unwrapped his gifts.  Wyatt?  Wyatt got lots of help from his brothers!

Big on Wayne's list this year were legos, a basketball, a stunt track set, books, and playdoh. 

 Wyatt is just such a happy kid.  And he now says "cheese!" when I take his picture, and knows how to smile.  It melts my heart every time!  Wyatt got some new clothes, a farm, and a tractor set, and a cooking pot.

 He is so unbelievably laid back, here he is, playing with his new toy, while laying on his back!  Who does that?

 The Silves Family - Christmas 2010

 Weston is really into cooking and pretending, so he got a marketplace, a grocery cart, and all the food to go with it, along with a Veggie Tale pirate ship.  He played with it for 3 hours straight!  He LOVES to make you whatever you order, but watch out... he likes to swipe your credit card too!  :-)

The day was busy, but not as busy as last year.  Last year our Christmas was insane, but this year... It was normal.  Our boys are getting older, and I love the stage that each of them is in.  I can't imagine our family without each and every one of them, and I am so glad that God's plan for our family included them.  Each bring out the best in me, and challenge me in their own ways to be the best mom that I can be for them.  Christmas is a time when we can shower them with fun presents, and enjoy spending time with them playing with new toys, and spending time with each of them individually.  I wish it were Christmas everyday of the year!

Catching up with Friends

Wednesday night was our long awaited "night out" with friends.  Byron and Dana are up from Oklahoma, and we couldn't pass up the opportunity to have dinner with them, and 3 other couple-friends of ours, WITHOUT all of our kids.  If our kids had been there there would have been....  2+2+2+2+3=11 kids, and 10 adults.  We did have one "little" join us, but Vince is only 6 months old, is ALWAYS happy, and is the picture of baby perfection, a dream to have along!  He even got to have his first french fry!

We had so much fun, it was nice to just take a night away from the busyness and preparations of home and visit with "old" friends.  All five of the guys were in the same grade in school, and the wives?  Only Amanda and I knew each other in school, but through our husbands, all of us are now friends. 

If this were back in the "old"days, they all would have taken Tyler's mustang out for a spin after this!  :-)

Poor Tom fell victim to my strong flash on this shot... but I had to put it in, because baby Vince looks positively DELICIOUS!  :-)  Those baby blues... no wonder his Mama is head over heals for him!  :-)

Thanks so much for taking the time to come everyone, and for making time for us Byron and Dana!  It was a great night!  I'll email the pictures out as soon as I can.