Christmas 2009

What a Christmas it was in 2009 ;)

About 26 weeks

Luke & I usually have a night when we open each others gifts and just hang out.

I was making supper and we were looking for the perfect white elephant gift...we found it. There is a story associated with a funny cabin of girls I had at camp that resulted in this book.
Luke was impressed with this large blob of sugar on his frosted mini wheats.
Christmas visitors began with Bjorn & Alissa in Minot. It started snowing some this Wednesday when they came over for lunch. I think Leif thought it would be as soft and warm as a pillow.

They had fun shoveling a little snow in the driveway before coming inside.

Then Tony & Alissa on Christmas Eve. Stuart & Leif had fun with Kinsey's Taekwando and Hockey gear.

Leif also got a haircut.

Late Christmas Eve night Holly & Jason came too. Micah & Leif had fun reading books.

Then came Christmas Day...and oh, what a day. Luke apparently had a creative streak with his shaving that morning. I was at work during all this. Tony & Alissa along with Stuart & Kate came over to visit and ended up getting trapped at our house due to a winter storm. The hospital called a Code White and I was stuck at work so Luke made pancakes, eggs, and sausage for our guests. Since we live so close to the hospital I was allowed to go home just to sleep if I guarenteed them I'd be back in the morning by 7am. It was wild to see all the snow that had fallen during 14 hrs at work. Erin, James, and Riley made it to Fargo and had to head back to Red Wing the next day. The roads were too bad for them to get to Minot. Hopefully we'll get to see them soon!

I think Stuart & Kate had fun.

And this is why Tony & Alissa were stranded at our home! And this is after they cleared off the back of the van!

Thankfully we had bought a truck in the spring so Luke could pick me up from work and get me back the next morning...but not without a lot of shoveling! Plus someone in our neighborhood plowed a single lane in the street that made it possible. I was extremely thankful to be home for a little while that night to visit our guests. The day after Christmas I got to go home after a nurse came in by snowmobile to replace me by noon. Oh, how thankful I was to get to go home!

The night after Christmas Luke took a few trips to get those at our house over to my parent's.

Stuart on the other hand seemed to love the snow!

And this is why everyone else was stuck at my parent's house! The only streets the city was plowing were Broadway, 16th street, and Burdick Expressway.

It is always a special time to get to have our family together for Christmas.

Holly, Jason, & Micah

Alissa, Tony, Stuart, & Kate

Bjorn, Alissa, & Leif

and Luke & I

naturally...

Before we ate the nieces & nephews got to open one gift from Luke & I.

Kate immediately wanted to cuddle. It was so sweet.

The kids had more fun with the boxes than anything. Leif was entertained all evening with them! This is right before he leaned back and broke this box. It was really funny!!!

These are the blankets in order of the cousins.

Riley, Stuart, Leif, Kate, Micah, and our baby.

Check out the link to Matt & Karisa's Blog for pics of the Steen Christmas!