Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas from the Kochers!

As I sit down to write, I can honestly say this has been one of the most fabulous Christmases

ever in the Kocher home. There was no drama, everybody was happy & healthy, and things just seemed to move along so smoothly.

Making Christmas cookies for Santa

We invited Jacob and Heidi over for cookie making


Christmas is all about making traditions, and being with family. This year we decided that December 23rd would be pizza and presents.


The kids had fun decorating the pizza, but eating it was the BEST part!

Watching Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer before presents.

Ready, set, OPEN!!!!!

Bethany with her new art studio/table

Kurt was excited to open his weather station and Taylor Swift CD...



Grant and his pile of presents.

This year, each child got 8 presents from mom and dad. 6 misc. things and 2 really awsome things that the kids wanted. :)

Micaela is more than ready to start opening!!

Bethany ready to open!



Wow, could it be, something DORA!!!!

Bethany recieved her art studio, and a Dora puzzle as her "big gifts."

Go baby GO!!!!



New Star Wars PJ's

This year Grant was happy to get a two piece red Star Wars Light Saber, and a indoor lazer shooting range.

Mom and Micaela.

This year Micaela asked for a "hard" baby. She wanted a baby that was "hard" like a real baby. Not one of those cotton filled flimsy things. So she got a new baby and a play pen for her baby to sleep in.

Mom next to the Christmas tree.

Mom was happy to get her Sonic Care Tooth brush, and various other wonderful things from Kurt and kids.

It is so absoltulely fun to open the gifts from the kids.

Kurt takes them shopping, and lets them kind of navigate around various stores until they see the "perfect gifts" for me.

It was rather funny to open Bethany's gift to me. She bought me a huge, gariatric remote control, that any older blind person would really love. When I asked her why she picked such a thing, she replied "Mommy, this way you can't lose the remote."

So precious!!!!

The whole family infront of the Christmas trees at Grandma and Grandpa Kocher's house.

We always start Christmas Eve with the candle light service at church. I really really love going to church on Christmas Eve, because it is so beautiful and peaceful. The service is usually very short, & and the traditional Christmas carols we sing, just puts everybody in the spirt.

Unfortunitally, we have a new pastor this year, so it wasn't the traditional service we were used to, but it was still nice.

We had a yummy turkey dinner on Christmas Eve.

We gathered around the table with Barb, Wes, and Kurt's brother Dale & his family. Our kids had a seperate little table to eat at, which I didn't think was a problem, until we got home and Grant kindly asked, "Mom why didn't we get to sit at the big table."

I replied, "Because there wasn't any room at the big table." He then said, "so it was kind of like when Mary and Joseph had to go to the manger, because there was no room in the inn."

I replied, "Yes honey, similar." Grant- "Good, they only had to stay in the manger one night, so
next year that means, we get to sit at the table. "

Pretty cleaver for a 7yr old.

Grandma and Grandpa with the kids




Kurt after dinner. "Big Lug"

Grant really loves the Movie "The Perfect Storm." He enjoys watching deep sea fishing and the show "Deadliest Catch" on TLC. Grandma and Grandpa got him a fishing boat. He was in heaven.

Micaela got a Leap Frog text and learn system, and some books for her Leap Frog Tag system that Santa was soon to bring.

Bethany didn't want anything but Dora for Christmas. She was so excited to get Dora's truck with horse. Little did she know, she would get the whole house and swimming pool from Nana and Grandpa....



After a very enjoyable Christmas Eve with the Kochers, we headed home to snuggle into our beds for our long winter's nap. We 1st however, had to get the cookies, milk, reindeer treats/carrots, and coke ready for Santa and the reindeer.

Only a few short minutes after 8:00, the kids were up and ready for presents!!!

Grant was happy to recieve his BB gun. :)

Micaela was happy to find her Leap Frog Tag reading system and two books awaiting her Christmas morning. She loves the system so much that she has barely put it down.


Bethany's excitment towered over the other two children, as she was jumping for Joy to see her Dora Kitchen all ready for her when she woke up. After a month of jumping and screaming every time she saw the commerical for the kitchen, she now was jumping and screaming to have it in her very own living room. :)

After presents, Kurt kept busy with opening boxes and putting batteries in everything that they had gotten the night before.

Santa gifts always come fully put together, compliments of the big man himself, but gifts from others unfortunitally dont come that way. haha

While he played with the kids, I made a yummy homemade pancake breakfast, and prepared the ham dinner to be served to my family at 2:00

Bethany got the entire Dora doll house with accessories from Nana from Christmas. Cousin Jacob found it fun to tote his new Woody and Buzz Light year around in the Dora truck.

Micaela's Hannah Montana Stage.

Before opening presents, Mom, Les, Heidi and Jacob, and our family sat around the table and had a nice Ham and potato dinner.

My family is always so greatful for good yummy food. The weather however was very bad on Christmas Day, so Kurt had to go and pick the family up. Only a good 4*4 truck was able to go through the snow drifts on our road. :)

Grant was overlly thrilled to get a Bakaguan set from Nana and Grandpa.

I am however still not real sure of what Bakaguan is, but to see him happy is all that mattered.

Later that evening Uncle Steve came out and brought presents for the kids. He was happy to have some of our yummy ham and pototoes, while the kids sang and danced for him.

Today is the 26th and we have had so much fun playing with the kids and their new toys. The art table for Bethany was a true hit for all of the kids, as they sat and colored, glued, and cut pictures for a good two hours. This allowed for Kurt to play with him new Ipod, and me to get a good start on my blog.

This evening we took the kids to see the movie "Old Dogs," which by the way was an excellent movie. I haven't laughed like that in a long time, so it was very very fun. :)

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will try and get to Minot to meet up with Kurt's mom and step dad Jerry to open presents, and enjoy their company. They drive over from Devils Lake and we enjoy a good couple hours at the Royal Fork with good food, excellent company, and of course presents. :)

With all of that being said, we really had a nice Christmas. It is the one time of the year with which you can get together, eat good food, enjoy family, and just relax and have fun. While presents seem to be the kids' choice of fun for Christmas, just being with good family and friends is what makes it special for Kurt and I.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

To view more photos, visit us on Facebook. :)

Christmas Train, North Pole

Tonight we did something very awsome. We traveled to the North Pole to visit Santa at his cabin. The kids were so amazed by this.

Grant was very shy while talking to Santa. You could tell he was really doing some thinking. After we had left, he said, "Man, that was the real deal, we got to talk to the real Santa Claus." A moment to charish forever.

The North Pole is located a few miles South of Zahl. An older couple who love children, decorate their little cabin every year, and welcome people to come chat with Santa. It is really neat because you call for a time, and you get 20 min to chat with Santa, and eat cookies with him and Mrs. Claus before the next family arrives.

Santa's cabin

Inside of the cabin, it is all fixed up to look like Santa and Mrs. Claus actually live there.

Bethany drinking hot chocolate


Mrs. Claus gets the cookies out, and sits around the table with the kids.

Santa, Mrs. Claus and the kids!

It is really neat because Santa has a real white beard.

On Friday, Bethany and I traveled to Portal to see the Christmas Train


Canadian Pacific Christmas Train

Band that rocks the train for 30 min before the train leaves again

Bethany with Santa

Tomorrow, I am hosting my 1st ever Christmas baked good exchange. I have 10 people signed up, so am excited to welcome everybody into our home to exchange goodies for Christmas.

Merry Christmas Anjelika :)

Tis the Season.. December 2009

Bethany took a fall this past Sunday while playing with the kids.

She fell off the couch backwards and hit her head on the table.

It was only a 1 cm cut, but it was deep and bleed a lot. After some stiches, we were good to go.

Grant mailing his letter to Santa.

Grant really wants a BB gun for Christmas. While I am not exactly sure if this is an age appropriate gift for a 7 year old boy, "Santa" seems to think it will be just fine. :)


Micaela mailing her letter to santa.

Micaela is hoping for a Leap Frog Tag reading system for Christmas. She loves playing school, writing words, and "reading." This system really looks neat.

Bethany mailing her letter.

For those of you who know Bethany, it is no surprise that she is asking for something Dora. The girl eats, sleeps, and breaths Dora. :)

Santa had to search near and far to find the ever so popular Dora Talking Kitchen.

I can't wait to see her eyes on Christmas morning.


Kocher Family Christmas Tree. Grandpa Bill bought us the train for around the tree. This was our first time setting it up. The kids just love it. :)

I am not a "prize" baker by any means. Most of everything that I make is in that "semi homeade" category. I did give peanut butter balls a try this year, and much to my surprise they turned out. I would imagine it was because there was no baking involved. I really can't bake. hah

Grant rolling peanut butter balls.



Grandma Barb got Bethany this cute apron for her birthday. She is so proud to wear it and bake/cook.

Watch out world when Micaela is in the kitchen. She takes no orders, and has a mind of her own. "Mom, I know what to do, leave me alone." Like I said, watch out!



Micaela is such a beautiful girl. We snapped this picture right before she was to dress up as Mary in the Church Christmas program.

Micaela was so honored to be Mary in the Christmas play.





Bethany sang her little heart out at the Christmas program. Grant on the other hand, was bored and appeared tierd. He must have yawned 10+ times. Didn't get any good pictures of him.

Tuesday night was the DCE School Christmas program/play. The kids got all dolled up for the even. Even Bethany insisted on wearing a Christmas dress.

She took pride in looking like "Mrs. Clause"

My Christmas angel looks so grown up in the picture!


Grant did sing quite well at the program. He likes music, but isn't one for singing lots of songs in front of a lot of people.

Such a serious little singer.

It really is hard to believe that Christmas is next week. I have the whole next week off, so I can get things in order. Christmas Eve, we will open our family presents, head to Church for the 5pm service, and then go to Barb & Wes's for a nice supper and gifts. It usually gets to be along night, so we have just enough time to leave some cookies, and a coke for Santa before getting the kids to bed. I am hoping that this year they will be able to handle staying up a little later. They are usually so tierd and cranky when we get home that it isn't much fun.

Christmas day, we wake up, do the Santa Clause thing, and make an early afternoon meal for my family. It is short and sweet, but it is nice.

Tomorrow is my preschool Christmas party. Wish me luck. It is going to be a crazy day with 24 super excited preschoolers. :)