Finally... its Christmas! We had a great Christmas.... we always do! I love it. I love the planning and scheming. I love that lies are ok.... oops, I shouldn't have said that. On Christmas Eve we had the Cain family come for lunch. I totally forgot to take pictures. I was enjoying the company and totally spaced it. Anyway, they were here. The food was good. The company was enjoyable. Santa did not disappoint this year. He did have two teen age helpers. It was fun to listen to them complain about assembling things. The elf workshop isn't as fun as they thought it would be. I told them they could thank Chinese manufacturing and instructions for that. Anyway... here is our little stash. We have a tiny tree. It is literally a quarter of a tree. I like it. Keith LOVES it. The kids don't like it. They want a "big" tree.
Our favorite family gift was a picture that my parents gave us. This spring we went to Nauvoo and it was such an amazing trip. The kids STILL talk about it. We all LOVE Nauvoo. My parents gave us this painting of main street in old town Nauvoo. The kids especially loved that it has the gun smith shop in it. That was their favorite building we went into. Thank you dad and mom! We LOVE it.
Christmas morning! Jakob got software for a music program. Ok, he didn't really.... he got permission to download it. When he went to download it, we decided that it would be cheaper to get it from Amazon (where all good things come from). Why did I not think of Amazon?! Sheesh. Ok, he now has his music software on order and will be here in 2 shipping days. Until then, books and music will have to suffice.
Corrine did well this year. She requested clothes. She got a lot of cute things. The best was her coat. She has wanted one FOREVER and had no idea that there was one under the tree. She was so excited!
She also got some jewelery making supplies and tools. This was Keiths idea.... so she would stop stealing his tools.
Sariah got legos. She LOVES legos. She asked for the "friends school". She is fairly easy to please at Christmas time. She got a few other things, but the legos were by far the biggest hit.
Hayden got spy gear. He loves to play spy. Maybe he will get a job at the FBI someday and make enough money to support us in our old age. Walkie Talkies are awesome. I need to note these are "real" walkie talkies... not "little kid ones".
Night vision goggles. He wears them all the time... not at night.....The wrist thing has an alarm for the sensors he has set up throughout the house. We are now dodging lasers. If we hit them, loud and annoying alarms go off. Best Christmas present ever for a 7 year old boy.
Kate got a kitchen, some food, dishes, and some aprons. This is the item the elves helped put together. Kate was so happy and cute with her kitchen that it was all worth it. Every last painful minute of building.
The best part of Christmas this year was the SNOW! Lots and lots of snow on Christmas day. This was really the first good snow storm of the season. It made everything so beautiful!
Merry Christmas!