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!!!!!!!!!!

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