Merry Christmas from Our Colorado Mountain Home....

We start every Christmas morning with all the kids lining up on the stairs before they are allowed down to open their stockings....and every year we love seeing how the kids have grown!!

Abi and Ryan and Finn spent the night last night.  They were here for a little while and 

then went to Ryan's family's for the day.  

And by the way, meet Nate.  He has been hanging out at our home 

for awhile now.  You have seen him in pictures and will 

keep seeing him in pictures.  He is a sweet addition anytime he is in our home.  

He is one of the kindest guys we've ever met and 

we welcome him to our 'family'.   Every one of us love him to pieces and quite honestly...

take a look at our family...Nate fits right in...

 Liberty teasing Nate...just like a sister should!!

 I stayed up until 2:00am cross-stitching names on stockings...

{why oh why did I save it till the last minute?}

 Welcome to Christmas Saunders style Mr. Finley Q!!

 Sarah flew in last night!!  So good to have her in town 

{although she's staying at her family's home - waaa}

 All of a sudden Sarah's phone made the most beautiful noise...Sarah ran screaming, "Ty's online...Ty's online, Ty's online!!"  We all ran...and sure enough, eventually we were sort of/kind of able to skype with him...via Sarah's iphone.  He never was able to talk, but he did type, and he could hear us....it was just absolutely beautiful to see his face.  He has not able to skype ever before...so it was Sarah's first time seeing him since he left....

They tried over and over to get the skype to completely work, but the connection 

was not strong enough over there in the sandbox. 

I tried talking to him, since he could hear us...but I started to bawl {like really}.  Tyler started to laugh and typed, "This war has been pretty hard on mom, there ought to be war benefits for her too!"  

 It was a precious moment when Tyler met his first nephew - Finn!

{Look at the sweet, pleased look on Abi's face...priceless!}

 For awhile, Tyler could not hear us, but could only see us.  So Dw was talking to him in "slow motion"....pretty funny...

 Graham AND Tyler both think Taylor Swift is pretty amazing...so Graham's friend gave him a Taylor Swift Calendar for Christmas....They held it up for Tyler to see....a big smile broke out from what I hear....face it, the size of the picture he might even think Taylor was at our home for Christmas - haha

 Josh came over for a few minutes....he and Emma have been 'dating' now for just about 18 months...

 Finn and his mommy

Isaiah drew Emma's name in our gift exchange and he chose to get her 

some PURPLE chucks for Christmas..{she was tickled purple}.

 Dw got me a Stuart Little doll, just like the one I lost in the fire.  

I love Stuart Little.  He's my favorite...remember - he's adopted too...

and this Stuart Little doll talks {just like the one I lost}!!

My favorite line he says is, "When you're friends with 

Stuart Little, you're friends for life!!"  

That mouse is my bud - so good to have him back again!!

When Tyler lived at home he would come and lay on our bed late at night and talk to Dw and I.  I would press the Stuart Little doll and talk back to him.  Tyler used to say, "Mom, you are so weird - it's a rat!  You're in love with a rodent!"    

 

 Elizabeth Mercy

Isaiah Samuel got a bike....

 Emma really just wanted a guitar.  She is very musical, sings beautifully and 

wants to learn to play so she can play for her orphanage one day.  

Daddy and Nate sharing a sweet moment....

 American Girl dolls {replaced by insurance from the fire}

 Elijah Mueller and Daddy

 Liberty named her dolly Dayly Mae

Merry Christmas from our home....

May we all remember that without Easter, 

there would be no Christmas!!!