Christmas in Iowa

We started our Christmas Journey heading south on some not so fun roads.  We were originally scheduled to head to Iowa on the Friday before Christmas, but due to the weather, opted to wait until Saturday morning.  It took us about 5.5 hours to get from our front door to our first Christmas celebration; typically it takes about 3.5 or 4 hours.  We were very relieved and excited to get to our destination to spend time with family and celebrate Christmas!

Below are quite an assortment of pictures from our first Christmas celebration with Grandma Lynn and Papa Dave.  Lots of fun was had!

Anna was very intense when it came to opening presents.  

Super excited about her new Clarke shirt!

Claire got one too!

 More presents!  

Claire got some diapers!  She was excited!  These are the fancy kind....since mom and dad only buy Target brand :)

We love Olivia and books...put the two together and we're thrilled!

TROUBLE!  The game and the girl!

Claire's John Deere Bear....super cuddly!

  

Lane being adorable!

Claire learning how to play Gooey Louie with Aunt Kate and Anna.

After all the Christmas fun and games, it was time for a rest with Uncle James.

And a few family picture opportunities!

Chillin with Grandma.

 

Whole family picture.

Just the "kids."

Into the evening, Claire and Lane found a comfy spot in Papa Dave's lap.  

The girls were very spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  What lucky little girls!  What's even luckier for them, is that they went across town for another Christmas the next day!

Good morning Claire!  Time for another Christmas celebration! 

Anna and her new jammies and horses.

She was really excited about this pair of horses.  

Claire was just excited in general!  This is her normal face, all smiles and dimples.

T-Rex was after those little horses!

Cousins picture, take 1.  (Note, there were many cousins pictures taken, and I am posting a lot of them, because so many made me smile.  Trying to get all three to look and smile at the same time is quite an adventure!)

"Anna, give Claire a hug."

"Anna, stop squeezing Claire so hard!"

Before presents we had a little brunch.  Claire slept through the meal so she could mentally prepare for gift opening.  

Claire says, "Did I miss anything important?"

More smiles from this girl!

Stockings first!  Oranges!  Yay!

Claire got baby food of course!

Headbands!

And Claire still just cares about the food!

Big present for a little lady!

A farm!  Anna got a piano, which you can see in the picture above, it makes lovely music!

And now for more cousin photo opps!  With commentary of course....

"Smile big sister!"

"Come here, Will!  You must be in the picture too!" (Note Claire is losing interest.)

 But she thinks it's funny!

Anna has to use all of her strength to get Will to join the picture.  

I think by this point bribery was involved...Anna jumped right back to her spot.  Claire was concerned about her manicure.

Come on Will!

Smiles all around!  

Everyone looking in the same direction!

Getting closer!

"Put your arms around Claire."  (Hopefully she doesn't get choked this time!)

Two out of three...

Cute!

Oops, wrong way Claire!

Look that those toes!  

Tiny penguin.  

Big penguin! 

Lots of fun was had with Grandpa Randy and Grandma Lori at their Christmas celebration.  The kids loved playing together and were spoiled again!  They are very lucky girls!

Monday morning we headed back north to attend our home church Christmas Eve church service and be home for Santa on Christmas Day.  We got to church just in time (we may have even had to stop at a Target to use the bathroom to change our clothes for church).  

The service was wonderful.  

When we got home the girls got to open one special present.  

They were both excited!

"What is it!?"

Anna took over so it could be unwrapped quickly, Claire can hardly contain herself!

"Oh, so cute!" (I believe these were her exact words.)

"These are for you Claire!"

They got Christmas jammies and a mug and hot chocolate.  Claire didn't get to partake in the hot cocoa experience, but she did look mighty cute in her jammies.  

There is that big gummy smile!  (And by gummy I mean four teeth on the bottom coming through at once!)

Sisters.  Beautiful sisters.  

Matching jams.  

Love these girls...and that cute guy helping the littlest girl :)

All of our Christmas celebrations were wonderful and on Christmas Eve we were excited to celebrate Christmas Day in our new home.  More excitement to come....