Brown and Kitten Christmas

It has come and gone, but a Merry Christmas to all!

I love decorating for Christmas.

I love the warmth the tree and the lights bring.

The focus on family, friends, and my Savior is welcome in the bleak mid-winter.

We had 2 Christmas concerts to attend, the boys at one and Calista at another. Thankfully they were different days.

I don't really have photos or videos I'm going to post of the concert. They are always way too long and usually shaky.

I do have a picture of Calista with her oboe, though!

Christmas Eve, we headed to church all dressed up.

You'd think that taking group photos would be easier as they get older.

It is not.

Craig, where are your teeth? Oh well, you're still cute.

Aw, Caleb. You look so cherubic sometimes. Sometimes...

I threatened to tickle her, and she ran away. So I had to get her to come back for a photo.

We had Christmas Eve pajamas and time for bed.

Gotta prepare for presents in the morning!

The most popular present was probably the nerf guns.

You couldn't go anywhere for a few days without the risk of being shot.

Attacking your siblings with weapons on the stairs is what Christmas is all about, right?

Christmas in Edmonton is usually cold, snowing, and maybe a little miserable. This is why we need all the lights and the food.

This year, however, was a little bit brown (not as pretty as white, to be honest)

But even more important, it was almost warm!

We spent some glorious time outside, playing and enjoying the sun. Lovely Christmas.

After Christmas, we headed down to Raymond to see Kyler's family. 

Although, most of my pictures aren't of family but instead the kitten, Nivek. 

(Kevin spelled backwards). 

Seriously, she's adorable and cuddly and playful and might eat you.

And, as always, the other favorite of the Raymond trip was the trampoline.

We had a whole family get together, including a talent show and Cuban food; we went to the temple with Bryce, Scarlett, and Calista; Kyler and I went on a date including a walk around Henderson Lake...

But most of the pictures I have are all of Nivek. I mean, cute kittens are cute, right?

We only spent a few days down in Raymond. We were back in Edmonton for New Year's Eve. 

For the first time ever, everyone managed to stay up until midnight! Of course, that meant some slightly tired people the next day, but we can work with that.

The time between after Christmas but before school starts again is always a little strange. I never know what day it is or what we are doing. I do love having the children around, though. 

Even if they sometimes get a little snippy with each other. 

We mostly love each other and enjoy going on walks, playing at play grounds. 

Or staying inside and doing sudoku. 

It was a merry Christmas in the Rasmussen household. I hope yours was, too.