Yes, Christmas has come and gone, but now we are taking time to share our wonderful memories. Less than 24-hours after returning from our cruise we hosted the "Haupt Family Christmas party" . One of our favorite holiday traditions. This year was a real treat. Now that Grandma and Grandpa Haupt live with us we are getting a bigger crowd. Linda and Wylee arrived from Orlando the morning of the party, not to come to the party but to pick up Wylee's mother who was being released from her mission. We took advantage of them being here by planning our Christmas party the day they arrived. We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas feast, then the festivities really came alive. Every year we have a "White Elephant" gift exchange. Some folks bring real white elephant gifts, and some bring NICE gifts. It is always an exciting event.
Wylee opening the "Christmas Pig" making his second appearance at the White Elephant gift exchange. He stole my gift "Money to Burn" a bag of shredded money and a lighter. He wanted to teach his kids that he really does have money to burn.
Tyson showing us how the flying monkey works. Linda stole this....but Tyson washappy with the gift he ended up with. We always make sure to bring gifts the kids will want, but then the adults like them too and steal them. Makes the whole crazy event with it! I think that cruising got the best of me, I totally forgot to get candy bars for the candy bar game, next year someone else better be in charge of remembering this, I get busy and forget.
Every year we have a "Special Guest" come to visit the kids. Again I almost forgot, so I had toput a last minute call in to the North Pole, and Santa dropped what he was doing just to come for the kids.
Santa and his elf making sure they remember where they parked the sled. 
Santa giving Tyson his gift. Tyson said he had been very good, and so he got his gift from Santa.
Kandace with Santa. She has been very good this year, Santa was proud of her!
Trying to get a Family picture with Santa...some people were paying attention and some were busy with their new gifts.
All of us with Santa. We had such a wonderful Haupt Family Christmas party, and just think the next one is only 11 months away!This year we broke tradition and celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. We always have a Prime Rib dinner on Christmas Eve, and Cameron said he would be calling on Christmas Eve and Steve had to work on Christmas. So we decided to just simplfy and do everything Christmas Eve. I have decided that this year was the worst year for Christmas pictures. For some reason I just forgot to take pictures, but here are the few that we did take.
Tineke and Casey open their gift. Notice Casey's gift to the right, he got the Automatic Nerf Gun that he had been wanting....oh the trouble he caused shooting us with it!
Kandace opening one of her many gifts. It was just a little weird to be opening our gifts on Christmas Eve. Steve totally surprised and spoiled me and got me the Cannon camera that I had been wanting for a few years. Maybe next year I will be better at taking pictures!
Okay, the very BEST part of our Christmas Eve was that Cameron got to Skype us and just as we were sitting down to eat, he was calling. So we brought the laptop to the dinner table and told him that we were just sitting down and needed to say the prayer. He offered to say the prayer, and prayed in Tagolic. It was so cool. After dinner, we brought the laptop to the kitchen and he did dishes with us, then we brought him in to open gifts with us. It was like he was right there with us all night. Wow, I love modern technology! We just didn't get to have our Courtney with us. Since she was still in the MTC she wasn't allowed to call home, but her gift to us was a tape of her playing her Harmonica and telling us all about the MTC. Although Christmas day was too quiet, we had the BEST Christmas Eve Ever!
After all the gifts were opened, Steve and I got to just sit and talk alone with Cameron for a few minutes. We wished that we could just talk forever, but he did have to go. We are so proud of our missionaries, and Casey and Kandace, FAMILY is the BEST!. It was a wonderful Christmas and hope that yours was too!
Tineke and Casey open their gift. Notice Casey's gift to the right, he got the Automatic Nerf Gun that he had been wanting....oh the trouble he caused shooting us with it!
Kandace opening one of her many gifts. It was just a little weird to be opening our gifts on Christmas Eve. Steve totally surprised and spoiled me and got me the Cannon camera that I had been wanting for a few years. Maybe next year I will be better at taking pictures!
Okay, the very BEST part of our Christmas Eve was that Cameron got to Skype us and just as we were sitting down to eat, he was calling. So we brought the laptop to the dinner table and told him that we were just sitting down and needed to say the prayer. He offered to say the prayer, and prayed in Tagolic. It was so cool. After dinner, we brought the laptop to the kitchen and he did dishes with us, then we brought him in to open gifts with us. It was like he was right there with us all night. Wow, I love modern technology! We just didn't get to have our Courtney with us. Since she was still in the MTC she wasn't allowed to call home, but her gift to us was a tape of her playing her Harmonica and telling us all about the MTC. Although Christmas day was too quiet, we had the BEST Christmas Eve Ever!
After all the gifts were opened, Steve and I got to just sit and talk alone with Cameron for a few minutes. We wished that we could just talk forever, but he did have to go. We are so proud of our missionaries, and Casey and Kandace, FAMILY is the BEST!. It was a wonderful Christmas and hope that yours was too!
No comments:
Post a Comment