Ulmer Family Christmas 2008!

Our Christmas celebrations this year were geared primarily around just how much time we could spend together as a family-- all 20 of us!! Looking back, it's amazing to see how in just five years we've added 7 people to our family through birth and marriage!! The Lord is so good to us. And this year we had a precious time together, marveling at the blessing each member in our family is!!

Silas and Mommy.

Christmas morning began with our traditional breakfast-- a scrumptious egg dish-- the recipe has been used exclusively for our Christmas breakfast ever since Lydia created it at age 7!!

Mushroom Delight.

Our family gift-exchange followed breakfast and the reading of Luke Chapter 2. And it wouldn't be time for presents without a continual volley of wadded-up wrapping paper balls!!

Gift-giving time!

Silas was Dad's special assistant in opening his presents.

"Look Daddy, you got new jeans!!"

Exuberance? Excitement?

Got the Giggles!

"Oh yeah!!"

"Whoa Pheobe-- can I see them??"

Charity trying out her new yo-yo.

"Thank-you!!"

Silas got some cowboy guns.

Dad waiting in suspense!

Bringing in the big gift.

"WOW!!"

Mom surprised Dad with a chest that matches the rest of their current bed-room set!!

Around noon, we headed into Grandma's for dinner and our gift-exchange with her!! We are so blessed to live close to Grandma, and get to see her often, especially during the Christmas season!

Grandma made a delicious Christmas feast!!

Brothers.

"MMMMM....Hot-Chocolates!!"

"Silas this is the best present!"

Grandma's Christmas Tree.

Smiling Siblings.

"Look!!"

"This is a Hold-Up!!'

"Wow!!"

The Three Stooges.

Silas was super-excited!!

Strumming away.
Thank-you Grandma for the great gifts!!

Before we left for home, we took a few quick shots of our family.

The girls.

Dad and the boys.

This picture is arranged very close to one we had taken Christmas 2006-- if you look at that picture, it's amazing to see how much everyone has grown in 2 years!!

Our family!!

The Day after Christmas we had the USA (Ulmer-Shepard-Anson) gift-exchange. The boys are getting old enough to appreciate the gifts as well as the thrill of just tearing open a present!! :)

Goodies!!

Yummy Cheese Fondue.

Mom made homemade biscotti---too good!!

Paul loved ripping the paper off!

(Quick note- Scott received a couple CDs from Dad and Mom. Mom wanted to creatively wrap them so he'd be clueless as to what was under the wrapping paper......so she put them inside of a phone-book and wrapped the phone book!!! Needless to say, Scott was totally stumped!!)

Justice, Uncle Seth and Aunt Esther playing together.

Fun Photo Gifts.

Marcus was content just to hold his opened presents!

Memory-Making-Mama.

Esther made quilts for both the married girls and their families.

Raspberry Chews!!!!!!!

Just for fun, we girls gave each-other make-overs--- fun sister time!!

Happy Family.

Uncle Seth and Philip.

Marcus and Justice.

Hmmmmm.what could this be?

Uncle Sethy and Justice.

The boys singing and signing "Away in the Manger".

Investigating the awesome car mat Nana made for Justice!

Pillowcasas......curtains........napkins.......what should I do with this???

Dad taking a quick power-snooze in-between presents!

One totally cute little Shepard Boy!!

"Thank-you Papa!!"

Justice and Daddy playing around.

Grandma joined us later in the afternoon for treats, and to for the mini-birthday celebration we held for the two oldest Grand-boys.

Gigi and Philip.

Paul and Justice celebrate their 3rd birthdays only 6 days apart-- Paul on Dec. 30th and Justice on Jan. 5th!!! We try to have a joint birthday party for them when they are up for Christmas.

The Birthday Buddies.

Trying to figure out how to hold up 3 fingers!!

Paul loves the birthday hats!

Justice opening his birthday present.

The Ansons had to leave at 6pm, so before they left we took pictures of us all together!

First picture--- Paul 'helping' Philip smile!! :0

Little bit of Love.

Just plain cute......

Papa, Nana and the grandboys.

(Hopefully someday we'll get some girls!!) :)

Great-Grandma (Affectionately called "Gigi") with the four grand-boys.

Our Entire Family- 12 Ulmers, 3 Shepards, 5 Ansons and Dad's Mom!!

(My apologies on the long delay in posting these Christmas pictures........there's nothing like Christmas in January!!) :)