Random Pictures from December

Mattei Family Christmas

Due to the incredible amount of sickness we had on this trip I didn't take very many pictures and worse yet there are very few with my family. I did manage to get a few semi decent family pictures. Vickie joins us as an official member of the family this year. Michael and Vickie were engaged a few days before Christmas and will be married at the end of the summer. I expect we'll have some great family pictures come out of that!

Seth, Alex, Coral, Michael, Vickie, Andrea, Asher & Amy

Great-Grandma Edith meeting baby Asher

Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa with Asher

Christmas at the Cooks

Christmas #4 (I think) was with all the Cooks. There are 10 of us in all now. Funny that just 4 Christmases ago there were only 6!

Alex's Boise State flag

The only picture of me that day...Alex was up all night the night previous with a fever and it shows on mommy's face.

Broncos hat

Joke book!

Reading the new joke book with Aunt Kate

The newlyweds

Aunt Kate & Uncle Jesse

Uncle Tyson & Aunt Rachel

Enjoying our sweet baby

Christmas Morning

First things first....we rushed out to see if Santa came....and he did!

He brought Alex two different fire trucks, just like he asked for! (I have it on good authority that Santa went to A LOT of trouble to find said fire trucks...)

Santa is so polite.

Christmas snuggles with daddy

Loving those fire trucks!

Asher watching his big brother open his stocking.

I love the pure joy he got from each and every item.

Go fish! (A new favorite.)

My favorite Christmas present.

Look at that excitement...and he doesn't know what it is yet!

Still trying to get a good shot...

Opening gifts

Cutie pie!

He wasn't too excited about his gifts

Still opening.

Sweetness

Christmas Eve

These next few blog posts may be much longer than normal. I have about a zillion pictures and trying to narrow them down is tricky, so I may just post a lot and if you aren't interested you can just scroll through them quickly. ;)

These are the salt-dough ornaments that Alex made for family members and a few friends too. He cut them out, painted, and embellished them himself. He was quite proud!

Our tree on Christmas eve.

Daddy and Alex went out before church to spread the "Reindeer dust." To make sure and attract Santa with the sparkles and reindeer with the oats! (Thank you, Auntie Amy!)

Asher was extremely fussy that evening, but was calmed by daddy's guitar playing. He stared lovingly at him while Seth prepared for Sunday's offertory.

And then he fell asleep....

All dressed up and ready for the Christmas eve Service!

When we got home we had to run inside and see if the Pajama Fairy came during church. Alex was terrified she might still be inside and wouldn't go in the house at first until I assured him she was long gone.

She came!

Asher's cute new jammies

And his cute buns...

Alex loved his new jammies. (Making his "cheese" face.)

Will I ever have a happy shot of both of them?

Leaving milk and a cookie for Santa. Alex was very specific that we only leave one cookie for Santa. He was very worried that Santa would choke and "That would be terrible!"

Santa came!

Grumpy Old Saint Nicholas

Not quite jolly

Crazy eyes

Looks like Santa had one too many...

"Santa" with his giraffe at 3 months old.

O Christmas Tree...

Today we went and picked out a Christmas tree. This was the first time in our marriage we've had a real tree. We've been using the fake one I bought in college for $20 bucks. We retired it after last year.) Seth has never cut down his own Christmas tree and I haven't done a you-cut in about 15 years, so this was an adventure. We packed up our kids and the Ericksons packed themselves up and we went tree hunting! The boys were exhausted (Asher cried pretty much the whole time...he's like his mama and hates the cold) and Alex was loopy, but we managed to find a tree, cut it down and get it home and in the house. A little furniture moving to make room occurred, but it's in! (I'll post pictures after we decorate.) It was a fun afternoon!
PS: If you don't know you can click on the picture to view it larger in a new window. :)

Flashback to Christmas Eve

Thanks for the great pic, Lynne!