Christmas 2008

Can we open the presents now?

I am the MAN!

Ava looks a little like a pirate here..

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It is too bad that we couldn't share it with family and friends. Never the less, it was very nice. Josh had to work Christmas Eve, but when he came home we had a traditional Christmas Eve dinner with Pizza Hut. Okay, not so much traditional...but it was fun. We let the kids open one present and they begged to open more. The presents had been wrapped and under the tree for nearly a month. The girls were so excited about what was in their boxes. We played a little trick on the older two. I was sure that they'd be able to tell what a few of their presents were, so I swapped names on the presents to throw them off. All of Lily's presents had Bel's name on them. All of Bel's presents had Lily's name on them. (It was great fun on my part!)

Christmas morning was great fun for the kids. We have NEVER had stocking for the kids before. However, this year since I bought some and put them up after the kids had gone to sleep. In the morning the kids were so shocked. I heard Lily's saying with much excitement to Bel, "I don't believe it! We have stockings. Get out here! Which one is mine? Bel, do you know?"

Throughout the day we opened our presents. We spread it out all day long to keep it suspenseful and fun. We let them open two after breakfast--two a little later--and so forth. Since we are without the extended family, and they all send down their gifts to the kids--we have a LOT under the tree.

We had a turkey dinner with all the fixings. I make sure to put on all of our fancy dinner ware. I want the kids to feel special. I don't want them to be cheated out of the holiday mood just because we are away from everyone. I let them have their white grape juice in wine goblets. They love the glitz--so do I!

Well, we had a wonderful time, and I hope and pray that next year Christmas for us will be up north!