Christmas Day

Everything with Christmas was off this year. It fell on a Sunday so it was hard to coordinate when to get together with all the family. Normally we get up, open gifts, get dressed and go to the J's for breakfast. Then, later in the evening the B's come over with Cari to see what the kids got from Santa.

This year, Cari stayed overnight here and the kids loved that. Erin told her that it was the best Christmas ever because she "got a dollhouse and Care slept over." Cari forgot church clothes, Jer was sick with pneumonia and I didn't plan very well (as far as the kids go) so we didn't go to church. Jer had been sick for a week or more but by the time Christmas Day came, it was bad (no voice and no energy).

The kids didn't get up until about 7 this year. Okay.. just kidding. Emma got up at midnight. Then 3:00a.m. Then 4a.m. And finally at 7 we let her stay up. For the first time ever, Santa decided to wrap every single gift (even their underwear). I'm guessing that is because all three of them went on for a month about how Santa never wraps any gifts... "they're all just sitting out." I always loved that when I was little. The sensory overload was always such a thrill for me. Where do I start? Which pile is mine? But no... my kids apparently don't appreciate that. So the elves must've said something because there was very little to be seen when they walked in the front room.

Well, besides the giant dollhouse Erin walked right to when she opened her eyes. And the soccer goals that Josh saw next to the tree. Emma had to work a little for her ipod that was hiding amongst all the other wrapped gifts. I have to admit, the dollhouse (made by a very special elf) was what I was most anxious about. Erin didn't ask for much this year. She saw a dollhouse at Costco months ago, but what she got was nothing like that one. You could see that she wasn't sure what to think or where to start.

 

After everyone napped and played, we went to the B's for our little gift exchange there. It was really fun to see everyone on Christmas Day since traditionally we see the B's on Christmas Eve. It was pretty crazy with all of us there at once. I think we've decided we are officially big enough to have our party at the church.

Brynlee had Josh this year and (thanks to her awesome parents) she gave him a ManU beanie. He couldn't have been more surprised and thrilled. Erin got a pedicure set from Mason which is perfect for her (she has already used it on her dads toes). And Emma got a fun make your own bracelet kit from Lex. The three girls are growing up and I'm not sure I'm okay with it. They all have bigger feet than me and are almost as tall as me. Such pretty girls.

Finally, around 8p.m., Darrell and Kathy made it to our house after making the rounds.  Kathy made everyone a breakfast casserole and brought it over on Christmas Eve with the grapefruit. Josh couldn't have been happier about that. He doesn't like mixing things up and the thought of not having the traditional breakfast with the J's was stressing him out.  When they came over Christmas night, they had more gifts. Emma got a darling purse to keep her teenybopper crap in. Erin got a Pinkalicious game for her DSi (which is the first game she has actually become addicted to). And Josh got a gift card to Amazon. Kathy kept telling me that gift cards are lame and she was not going to do that this year. But, what do you do for a thirteen year old boy? He was super excited and has been on Amazon daily shopping for the best "stuff." It will take him forever to spend it all because he is such a tight wad.

Even though things weren't "as usual," Christmas was wonderful. I do wish Jer hadn't been sick, but he was a good sport about everything. Other than that, I wouldn't have changed a thing. Only 357 days till Christmas (it is Leap Year, right?).