Christmastime Is Here

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours!

As a young family, we are still in the process of creating our own traditions. 

First, we celebrated on Christmas Eve with the Wrye side of the family. Everyone came to my parent's house for lunch. The boys looked so handsome.

After, we went to the Candlelight Service at CBC, and headed to Mt Carmel for Christmas with the Dicus side of the family. By the time we got home it was very late and Santa was due to arrive any minute, so we set out cookies and sprinkled reindeer food on the front porch, and went to bed.

6:30 came very quickly, but the excitement (on my part...I had to wake the boys up) hurtled me out of bed and down the stairs where the proof was in the full stockings and stacks of presents. Santa came!

After I woke the boys up, we discovered that Santa had left a present under the small tree in each of their rooms. They both were so excited to open their first present of the day.

I let the boys open their gifts throughout the course of the day. Both of them prefer to play with each gift as it is opened. This allowed them the space and freedom to express gratitude for each gift received. Also, as it happens every 7 years, Christmas fell on a Sunday, and as I am a church musician, I had to be at church. The rest of my family stayed home to play with already opened gifts.

Jackson did great opening his gifts. He got the hang of tearing off the wrapping paper (in the style Aunt Holly prefers...fast and chaotic).

Samuel crawled around and played with everything. He even tried to steal Santa's leftover cookie.

The boys made off with some great gifts. Santa didn't let Jackson down in the puzzle department. In total, he got 14 puzzles. That should keep him busy. For a couple of days, at least...

Some of the other popular gifts include:

A 3-2-1 Trike for Samuel

And Art Board for Jackson (from Mio and Grandmommy)

A LeapPad for Jackson

A Sports Center for Samuel

Samuel is VERY good at putting the ball in the basket. 

A Piano for Jackson

Though Samuel enjoys it, too.

A Thomas the Train Tent for the boys

And plenty of books

I didn't do too badly, either. I got a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, a Cake Ball Maker, some cake decorating supplies, gift cards, and a really awesome bear hat.

Much to my dismay, the most popular stocking stuffer this year was a voice changer.

The first gift was opened at 8:00am and the last was opened around 6:30pm. I think Jackson sang Jingle Bells and said "Happy Christmas" all day long. It was a long, full day full of happiness and magic and family.

But most important, it was filled with love.

Only 364 days till next Christmas!