Christmas with the Hansons

  We had a wonderful Christmas with our families!  We started with a Penner extended family extravaganza... followed by Penner Christmas.  Then my family started coming into town.  We spent Christmas Eve at our house, hosting a breakfast, enjoying a Thai lunch prepared by my grandma and ended the day with a delicious tortilla soup made by my sister and tamales.  It was so great just relaxing with little agenda!

One of my favorite parts was watching my grandpa interact with Riley.  It was really sweet!  

 Uncle Gordon playing with Jed.  His favorite activity was grooming his baby doll... brushing her teeth (polishing her head), combing her hair, clipping her nails... 

 Thea (top), Carly (left) and my Aunt Caty all loved holding and playing with Riley!  

 Grandma teaching us how to cook...

 Oma and Opa got Jed and Riley an AWESOME toy house for our backyard!  Jesse and the girls had a great time putting it together.  Jesse was grateful for the help!

 Auntie Lolo playing with Riley

 Great Grandpa talked with Riley about stuff (not sure what)... for about 15 minutes after dinner!  It was so fun to watch!

 And, of course, we always decorate cookies!  

 A little story reading...

 And Bath Time!!!

 ONLY TO WAKE UP TO CHRISTMAS!!!

It is so hard to instill CHRIST into Christmas these days.  One of the special traditions the Penners have done for a long time is make Jesus a birthday cake.  So, first thing in the morning, Oma and Opa brought over a birthday cake and candle for Jesus... Jed loved blowing it out again and again!  

 My parents were with Fresno State Football in Hawaii... they had a LONG trip home all night and arrived in Fresno at about 5:15 Christmas morning.  They were troopers and hung all day with us!

 Jed was far less interested in his new gifts and stuck with something my mom picked up for him... a grocery cart full of food.  Jed has loved watching me cook, and playing with toy food!  He makes sure to have his baby in the front.

 We had some yummy bagels for breakfast before we opened stockings. 

 Still at it!

 Great grandparents are the best!

 We always get matching PJ's... 

 Uncle bubba holding Riley... 

 They both caught sight of the fans!

 Auntie CC is one of Jed's favorite people on Earth!  

 Jeremy got some more practical gifts this year... College student = hungry!  

 Off to the kitchen!  

My sweet little angels.  Every mother must feel this but how can we be so in love???

 Riley's first Christmas was a so special!  We were so blessed with family surrounding us!

Christmas Lights

 My child... Jedidiah... has an EXTREME fascination with chriSTMAS lights.  He has talked non-stop about them since the day after Thanksgiving when our neighbors put some out.  The neighbors lights are (of course) right across the street out side of his bedroom.  Jed has to say good night to them, notes every morning that the "Suns wake up... neighbors light off... dark outside... neighbors lights on"... All of this has been the absolute highlight of his December!

This fascination encouraged me to get Jed his very own tree to decorate and be "in charge of".  He had his ornaments on it... and loved playing with it!

 Great grandma reading a great book called "God Gave Us Christmas"... a must get for parents confused about how to explain the Santa-God portion of Christmas. 

 A tradition we started when Jed was born... the grandparents come over to pull out Jed's stable, and set up the scene of Jesus' birth.  

 (Bapa mooing like a cow...)

 So happy about his lights despite a large face wound...

 We really loved going for walks around candy cane lane... a short walk from Jesse's parents house... Jed the whole way... "ooh..." "aah".... "maybe over there..." "these ones over here..." "maybe over there..." So cute!

 Jed and Austin admiring Oma's lights we briefly placed in their house.

 We would even drive around and look at lights to kill time.  

 On one of our walks... I estimate we alkyd candy cane lane 15 times in December.

 "Look!  Baby Jesus!!!"

 Oma and Opa gave the boys lights... they loved them!

Riley Renee

 Oh... how fast the calendar moves these days...  Riley is a little angel.  She is so unbelievably sweet.  She smiles at everyone, all the time.  Here are some of the fun times we have had recently...

 (November 12th)

 Snoozing with Oma

 Sleeping in great grandma's arms.  

 I can lift my head up and roll!!!

 Hanging with cousin Aubrey Rose... pretty in pink!

 Riley's 1st Tea Party with Oma, Aubrey, Jed and Raggedy Ann...

 I'm a little small still, but we tried!

 OOH!!! New toys!

 Auntie Lolo

And... 4 months old!