THIRD sunday christmas...

THIRD Sunday in December is always a blast.  We always celebrate an early Christmas with Bryan's immediate family at his parents' house making it a super fun time for all of the cousins!

Before we left the house we stopped to take our annual picture in front of the fireplace in our coordinating outfits....

...and Emily snatched up Baby Olivia for a few cousin pictures...

As soon as we arrived these kids played away.  The only thing that could distract them was a tempting glass of sparkling cider...

 CHEERS...

 ...and a few giant gulps...

 Jack got a few TRACTOR lessons from Uncle Tom...

 ...while this little bear ran WILD all night long...

When all of the dinner dishes were finally cleaned up, Grandma Jones called all of the kids to the tree and gave them specific directions about what was to follow.  I LOVE that she gently reminded them through this game about WHY we were celebrating this time together...

Then the present opening began...

You would have thought that all of that present opening was more than enough but Grandma and Grandpa had one more BIG surprise for each of the kids...

A NEW bike for each Jack, Jake and Max, a new tractor trailer for each Sy and Vince, a toy tractor for Charlie, a new baby buggie for Grace and an American Girl Doll made to look just like Emily for Emily...

 Jack took off on his bike while Charlie found his new hat and Grandpa's toy lawn mower to push around...

 Back inside Emily unwrapped her gift with just a little excitement...

This was one HAPPY little girl.  All she wanted for Christmas was an American Girl Doll that looked just like her.  Santa had crushed her hopes a little when he told her that he wasn't sure his elves knew how to make them.  She had been buttering up Elfie (our Elf of a Shelf) but I still think she was worried that Santa didn't know how to make them...

 The kids all began playing with their new toys while Emily and Grace got to work making lefse...

Uncle Tom unwrapped Charlie's tractor for him...

Charlie got a little fussy with all of the commotion and took a little break to hold his blankie and drink some milk...

 ...but it didn't take long before this mischievous boy got back to being himself...

 Grandpa took Charlie for a few more rides on Jack's bike...

...and then we headed on back home.