Berny and Janet Marquez Family: Christmas Eve Party at Grandma and Grandpa Ellis's House

War Christmas Party

This was the Santa Clause and Mrs. Clause from our ward party. Lance was totally enthralled with them and Whitney wanted nothing to do with the whole thing. This was a place in the south hills that was completely covered with lights they even had a large camel. We went with Mom, Dad, Matthew, Johanna, Mollie, Derrick and Shannon and all the the kids. The lights were beautiful, I couldn't believe how many lights that they put up.

They even had a Santa.

Mom and Dad Ellis's Christmas Eve Party

This is a picture of dad reading the Christmas story in the Bible as the Kids acted it out. It seems like just yesterday that it was me and my brothers and sisters acting the same scene.

Mary (Lilli), Joseph (Joseph), and the baby Jesus (Doll). The same doll I remember using at one or two of the Nativity's that I have done in the past.

Wrapping the Babe in swaddling cloth, or a dish towel.

Joshua was a Shepard

Wesley was the Angel, and as you can see he was really excited about it.

Our little Angels!!

Robbie was one of the wise men because he is the ultimate wise guy.

The Three wise men

Grandma and Leiloni

This was so cute, they took turns blowing the horn.

Grandma and Maddie

My buddy and I

Hey good looking

Whitney had learned 2 Christmas songs that she sang to everyone,

Stars were gleaming and Santa Clause is coming to town. She had her special way of sing them of course, "Oh you better watch out, you better don't cry, you better don't pout, I'm telling you twice. Santa clause is coming to town."

After Whitney sang, everyone sang Carols while we waited for Santa to get ready.

Whitney singing

I really love this picture. We were so happy that the Schmidt's came to the party. But we were all really missing Joe but I did feel like he was there. In this picture there is a glare right next to Laurel, right where Joe would have been. I makes me feel like he really was there. I am really missing Joe but I am grateful for the father figure that he was to me and for the way he loved everyone he met and the children that he and Laurel raised. They are an amazing family.

This is the Santa Clause costume that mom has been working on for years. Every year at Christmas she takes it out and adds something to it. This year she added the beard. When he came out all the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and they all go a gift.

Leiloni and Maddie

Lilli

Joseph and Joshua

We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Ellis' House this year. We ate chili and did a Nativity and sang Christmas Carols. Whitney had memorized Santa Clause is coming to town and Stars were Gleaming, so she sang them for everybody. While we were singing Santa Clause (Grandpa Ellis) came out. Whitney was so terrified that Santa was in the same room as her that I had to break the news about Santa at a very young age. I had to tell her that it was Grandpa and even after that he had to take of his beard before she would even come close to sitting on his lap. Lance was pretty cute too. He was not scared but he was just so distracted by the beard that Dad had to take it off so that Lance would focus on the present that they were trying to get him to open. It was so fun, Santa gave all of the kids a gift when they came and sat on his lap.