Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's

A couple days after Christmas we loaded up the van and headed to grandma's to celebrate with mommy's side of the family.  We barely got in town before we went to our first party at our cousin's house.  It has been a long time since we saw them and the girls had a great time playing with their cousins. They were all so silly while eating dinner. 

After dinner we passed out presents.  Mimi surprised me when she managed to get one of her presents. 

One mninute she looked like this.....



and the next minute she looked like this. 

After presents from the greatgrandparents and great aunts and uncles were open the kids got to doing what they do best.... playing!  I was amazed at how well they played together considering the last time they played together it didn't go this well.  (lots of yelling and tattling)

The next day we had Christmas at grandma and grandpa's house.  Grandma loves to buy presents, I think everyone know that.  And although I don't object to it when the presents are coming my way, the girls don't need a million toys, our basement is already overflowing!  So we have set a meaningful limit of three presents each.  Three because that is how many presents Jesus got on his birthday.  I love the fact that the girls connected the number without even being told.  Our big family presents was an xbox and kinect, then we all got games that we would enjoy.  The major hit for Bumpkin and Troublemaker was their new scotters which they used in the house for the remander of the visit.  Here are some picture of opening presents there. 

I finally got a video of Mimi opening one of her presents.  She sat in Nana's arms and just kept ripping at it until it was finally open. The final picture is documentation of her reward.  : ) 

The following night we had our first gelato vs. homemade icecream contest.  One would think that it would be harder to make homemade ice cream with a hand cranked maker but I think Heather and I struggled with the gelato maker more.  Come to find out a rasberry got stick in the bottom of the turner thingy (very technical term I know) which wasn't letting the lid shut right.  Somehow we don't have a picture of Heather and I covered in rasberry gelato fighting with the machine.  : ) 

Our final night at Grandma and Grandpa's was New Years Eve.  They hosted a murder mystery and it was also a friend's birthday so Heather and I decided to try my mom's new never opened but two years old cake cricut.  The fondant and gum paste was all new to us so we made some mistakes (like not putting frosting under the fondant or using any color) but we also made the cake and learned how the cake cricut works.  It would have been cooler (like with bigger with some type of color) if one first set of guest hadn't shown up an hour and a half early for the party.  But we will got to play.  My Mom's machine is pretty cool! 

Ohh, and finally, here is a picture of all three girls and great grandpa!  A rare treat and such a good one!