Jonker Christmas Eve...

My whole family was home for Christmas this year and it was a fun Christmas eve filled with some of the traditions of my childhood and a few new ones :)! The kids had SO much fun with their cousins and loved every moment of it!

The biggest change this year was location! Last December my parents sold my childhood home and downsized! It was a great move for them, but we definitely could not fit at their new place for Christmas. So we were out in Holland at the cottage! It felt different to be out there for Christmas, but it's just the start of a new tradition! It really is perfect because we all fit :)! (26 people!)

It was a great time and I am so thankful for all my amazing siblings and my parents!

Let the controlled chaos begin...

The sweet girls (missing Elena!) They have a lot of fun together!!
Nanny and Poppy with almost all the grandkids (missing Jacob and Elena)
Let the gifts begin! James with Poppy (and a new lego airplane :))
Nanny and Poppy
McLleyton LOVED having his Uncle John home...
Shae with Uncle Darren...


Matching Barbies for the 4 year olds!! So much fun!!
Mc w/ Uncle Jeff...
Belen and Jared...

Check out the sweet coat Aunt Jill got Stennson :)...
The boys thought it would be fun to start a new drinking tradition :)... It was pretty entertaining!!

Love this picture ... I really think it's just round 2 :)
Enjoying an apple and talking with his Aunt Kelly...
Snuggles with dad...
Kids dinner time...
All ready for bed! The oldest cousin (Lauren,9) and the youngest (until march) Stennson, 5 months.
All the grandkids in matching PJ's from Nanny and Poppy!! 13...and counting...
My oldest and youngest :)

Shatto Christmas...

It's such a gift that we get to spend Christmas with both of our families every year! The difference between our families is mostly evident in the numbers :)! 26 in mine and 9 in Matt's (we count for 6 of that :)). The experiences are obviously completely different, but I truly enjoy both equally! My kids do too!! There is something pretty sweet about being the only grandkids and getting loved on by a great Aunt and Grandpa and Grandma!!

It was a low key afternoon, with a great lunch, gifts, a Christmas movie and ended with the girls sleeping over! I didn't take enough pictures, but here's a few...

Stennson took a great nap... so he is missing from these ...

Matt's uncle restored this tractor and "loaned" it to Matt's parents until he has grandkids some day! I think my boys are going to love it!!!

The men! Grandpa, McLleyton, Grandpa Ben, Matt...
Sweet sisters...
A gift for Aunt Emy...

Movie time at Grandpa's house just became more fun!

Look at the fun building toys they kids got from Grandpa and Grandma... they are similar to what Matt had as a child...

10 Years!

Today is our 10th Wedding Anniversary! Simply feeling blessed and grateful for an amazing 10 years... for four sweet children, great families, friends and that I get to walk through this life with the most amazing man! I can't wait for the next 10...20...30...40...

I am blessed and grateful!!!!

Christmas Morning...

This past week we've enjoyed a lot of great Christmas fun! We've had time with both of our families and it has all been wonderful! But, I have to say the sweetest time of Christmas for me has become Christmas morning when it's just the 6 of us! (6 :)... I love that!!)

This year my entire family was in town (updates and pictures to come, it was great!!) We did our Christmas eve traditions at the cottage in Holland and for a moment we debated if we would drive home really late that night or stay at the the lake. Neither Matt nor I wanted to give up our time as a family Christmas morning, so we woke the kids up and drove home late. It was such a sweet time! They are growing up... and QUICKLY! We started the tradition a few years ago of Birthday cake for Breakfast! They blew out candles and sang to Jesus! We opened stockings and all the gifts that were under the tree. They were filled with anticipation, excitement and joy! It was just fun! They loved giving each other the gifts they had saved their money for, picked out and wrapped! It's a joy to see it all through their eyes! They are each precious, sweet and such amazing gifts!!! There is no doubt we have been blessed beyond or greatest hopes and dreams with these 4!!!!

A few pictures from our morning... lots more from our other Christmas fun still to come :)...