And Finally...Christmas with The Stephens!

We spent Christmas eve and day with Jason's family this year.  We always go to Nana and Grandpa's house on Christmas Eve.  There's always a house full of family, food, and laughter.  Then we headed back to Gigi and Papa J's to spend the night, another tradition.  Uncle B, Aunt Lala, Jackson, and Colton stayed too and we had a great time setting up all the "Santa" stuff.  The kids had the best time opening gifts and playing together all morning.  Then we headed home for a quick nap and back to Gigi and Papa J's for their annual Christmas Day festivities.  They always grill delicious steaks and Jason's whole family from both sides and friends too come over.  It's always so much fun to just relax and enjoy good company!  Warning:  There are entirely too many pics in this post but I love them all.

Ella and Daddy looking for Santa on Christmas Eve.  Love the lighted helmets from Gigi and Papa!

Wow!  Santa spoiled these kiddos

J working on Griff's toy motor.  All season if you asked Griff what he wanted from Santa he would say "a toy motor with gears".  Well, Papa J was able to find a working steam engine and Griffin was in love!  This crazy kid loves machines, factories, and gears.  

Uncle B setting up Jack's choo choo

Goodies for Santa

Ella and Baby Colton

Christmas morning snuggles with Papa

Love the outift

Griff and Ella woke up before Jack and Colton so we had to keep them entertained out side.  Griff on Papa's Harley

Christmas morning tractor ride

Time to see what Santa brought

Ella loved Jack's choo choo

sweet baby Colton

These are the only pics I got from the party that night.  I was looking for Ella and found her in the hallway "riding" Gigi's golden reindeer decoration!  Silly girl!

God kids opening their gifts

Jack and Ella being silly in the toy bin

Gigi with her grand babies

Christmas with the Austins

The weekend before Christmas we went to San Antonio to celebrate Christmas with Mimi and Pops, Conner, Leslie, Carson, and Lyndon.  The kids always have the BEST time playing together and this was no exception!  Besides crazy cousin play time, we also went to dinner at a Japanese Hibachi restaurant.  The kids had never been to one and we thought they would love it...we were right!  They had so much fun and caused quite a show themselves.  Ha!  We really had a wonderful time together.  The kids got so many thoughtful, fun gifts and so did we.  Thanks Uncle Concon and Aunt Lele for having us!

Opening stockings (Carson, Griff, Lyndon, Ella)

Ella loves her Aunt Lele

Carson and Ella checking out the tree

Watching the sushi chef

Opening presents the next morning

Conner and Les got Griff a fort making kit! So cool.  It has poles and connectors and you can build all kinds of designs with your own blankets.  The kids played with this for hours when we got home.  Chugger got in on the action too!

Show Stopper and a Little Stage Fright

 WARNING:  I am attempting to catch up on all our Christmas posts so get ready.  I get so overwhelmed with the blog when holidays come around and every time I sit down to catch up something more important comes up (like DVR recordings of trashy TV...I know sad but true).

Anyways, back in December the kids had their Christmas programs at Grace.  Ella went first and I wasn't sure how she would do being that it was her first time to perform in anything.  Ummm, let's just say this girl knows how to put on a show!  We knew she was full of personality but I didn't know what she would think of a room full of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, ect.  She LOVED it and had the entire audience cracking up at her.  Jason and I were so proud and couldn't stop smiling at our little show girl...although I think Daddy came home and cleaned his shot gun!  

  

Here you can see the other kids are sitting in their seats and Ella is center stage.

LOVE that big smile!

 She worked the stage going back and forth and threw a few twirls in there for good measure

 Here is when they were singing "Away in a Manger and laying down their sweet heads...except Ella was dancing..hehe

 Did you say the shows over :(

Next it was Griffin's turn.  The three year olds preformed in the bigger room and there was a LARGE crowd.  Griffin was so excited and had been practicing his songs constantly at home.  He did great for the first couple of songs and then I think he realized how many people were there and he just stood there looking so sad the rest of the time. We were really proud that he stayed up there the whole time.  He told me later he just got a little nervous. :)

 Love this little boy so much!

 So proud...doing the motions

 And this was when it all went South.  Poor buddy