Our Nichols Family Christmas

(collage by Heidi)

Ken and I want to wish each and every one of you a very "Merry Christmas". Even though we all have challenges that come our way...we are so thankful for what we do have! Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of our Savior....but it's also the time to tell you that there is "hope" for a troubled world....that God is in control...and His son Jesus will never leave you or forsake you!

Our family has experienced this first hand and we want to share that good news with you....at Christmas...and every day

We had our Nichols Family Christmas on Saturday, Dec. 20th down at Kurt and Heidi's in Jenison.

(in between snow storms!!)

We had a great day!!! We arrived around 11:00, visited, had a yummy lunch, opened the gift of shirts from Joel, took family pictures, layed 5 out of the 8 kids down for naps, played a card game called "Rage"(actually played one complete game before kids woke up), opened gifts, ate a yummy supper, sang Christmas songs with Jason on guitar, and headed home around 7:00! The day went by way too fast......but we loved being together! I have posted several pictures from the day! Enjoy!

The "15" of us!!

Here we are in the cool shirts Uncle Joel bought for the family!

They said "Nichols Christmas 2008"

Another angle....Thanks Ron and Carol for taking coming over and taking family pictures for us!!! We really appreciated that!

Kids on the couch!

Grandpa and Jon

Uncle Joel and Kirsten Uncle Jason and Rachelle
Uncle Kurt and Madeline
Grandma and the twins

Our three sons

me and "the girls"

Isaac and Andrew "firstborns"

Jon and Seth....the sweet natured "middle child"

Bright eyed Anabelle

Kirsten......turns 1 year old on Christmas eve!!

Rachelle.....turns 1 year old on Christmas eve!

Baby Madeline....almost 6 weeks old!

Jason playing the guitar with Kirsten looking on

Jason and Emily and family
Kurt and Heidi and family
Cousins getting acquainted

Getting ready for opening gifts.

Before the children opened gifts Uncle Kurt sat everyone down and gave them instructions! it was soooo cute!

He told them they would be opening gifts one child at a time and that's exactly what they did! It was very orderly and there was no fussing or whining!!!

Waiting patiently

Heidi and Jonny looking at his new clothes

The above three pics were our attempt at getting the perfect "Grandparents/Grand kids" shot. I would not recommend using balloons (LOL) if you want to see everyones faces!!