Christmas

And so that finally brings us to the big day....

After we got through all of the presents, Matthew (and Stinky and Lambie) crashed on the couch.  Opening presents is clearly exhausting.

Matthew kept saying "Ho Ho Ho Mewwy Chwistmas Twee!"

We had a wonderful quiet Christmas morning, joined by Neena and Fred...then Alie joined us a little later and we all went to Mom's for Christmas lunch.  Followed by lots of toy playing, Christmas movie watching, and puzzle working.  It was a nice relaxing day with the family.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a very full day this year...so this is a long one...

The morning started off with another Breakfast with Santa at the clubhouse in our neighborhood...it was our first year doing it.  We had breakfast (the boys made their plates of doughnuts, doughnut holes, pastries, and some fruit - good stuff) and then Santa came and read the Night Before Christmas to all the children (at the end of the story Matthew said loudly "Mewwy Chwistmas Twee!")...then we hung out in the Christmas craft area until it was our turn to see Santa.

This being our first year, I missed the memo that the parents dropped off a gift for the kids at someone's house ahead of time so that Santa could give it to them on Christmas Eve (I won't bother explaining what I thought the "gift" part of the sign up meant)...so they call us to come to the room with Santa and the mom in charge of the Santa room whispers "which presents are theirs?"...uh, huh??  None of them!  So, the boys were able to look past the table full of presents while they were with Santa - guess they thought they were just decorations - but they didn't miss the fact all the other kids were leaving with toys.  It's always fun to be the crappy mom at the party...but I don't think those other moms have Little Mister Analytical for a son...Nate would have asked a million questions if Santa had given him a gift ("But Santa's sleigh wasn't there, how did he get the gifts there?", "Is Santa still going to come tonight since he already gave me a present?", and on and on and on....).  I had a hard time even convincing him to talk with Santa - he said "I already told him what I wanted, why does he need me to tell him again?"  Good point...but "don't you want to make sure he didn't forget?!"  Luckily we escaped with little drama....

I am pretty sure Nate is eyeing the gift table here.  

After our morning with Santa, we needed to swing by the mall (yes, on Christmas Eve - I had avoided it the entire month of Dec).  It was actually not too bad...and the See's candy lady offered the children chocolate lollipops....sure,why not?  It's Christmas Eve!  This is why not:

They were a disgusting chocolaty mess... 

...and slightly nutso after all that sugar.

After that stop, we swung into Chickfila to eat lunch and let them burn off the sugar on the playground...but Matthew crashed...

And then one more stop by Toys R Us to pick up one more toy that Nate moved to the top of his list just days before Christmas.  On the last day of school, Nate came home with a picture he made of a stocking with his Christmas list on it that included 1) a Skateboard, 2) a Monster Truck and 3) extra balls.  Uhm....none of those things were on his original list and now he is obsessed with getting a skateboard!?  So, he sees a Lightening McQueen scooter in Target one day and gets excited about it and I figured it could work for his "skateboard"...but no, he tells me before Christmas that skateboards do not have handles, that would be a scooter.  Awesome.  So, in an attempt to not crush his Santa dreams and yet keep his limbs unbroken, I grab a Fisher Price "Grow with Me" skateboard that has a removable handlebar on Christmas Eve.

So after all of that fun...we get home and its time for our traditional cookie bake.  This was the first year Matthew really joined in on the action - and it was a MESS!  I had a tough time keeping him from eating the dough (and all of the sprinkles) but I just let go and let them have fun with it.  

I think he was doing the "Cookie Sprinkle Dance"

This is how Matthew decorates cookies

After the cookie baking (and subsequent clean up), we got dressed and went to the 7:00 candlelight service at church.  I knew I was pushing it with Matthew (and Nate a bit too) but after a week full of gifts and Santa on his way, I just wanted to make sure the real meaning of Christmas was still present amidst all of the toys.  But it did prove to be a bit too much after a long day...Matthew got antsy the moment we sat down (Michael took him home) and Nate fell asleep the moment the choir started singing.  Thankfully Mom and Fred were there to enjoy the service with me!

So we came home...put the cookies out for Santa and reindeer food out for the reindeer...got in to our Christmas PJ's and called it a night.  This was the first year that Santa didn't have to stay up all night assembling toys...so we all got a good nights rest!

Pre-Christmas Continued....

Our next pre-Christmas celebrations included visits from Aunt Abby and Uncle Jeff...we had an early Christmas dinner at Mom's house when they arrived and the boys got to open more presents.  Last year they gave Matthew a drum...this year they gave the boys a (what feels like) life-size cardboard Mater.  (I can't wait for them to have children!!)

Grandpa Dale came in to town while they were here...and we had yet another big meal at our house...and my sweet Aunt Lisa and Uncle Larry came over to join us.  (They gave Nate a guessing game where you put a card that has a picture on it on your head and have to ask questions to figure out what it is...it is for pre-schoolers yet we all sat around the dinner table playing it with him and had fun doing it!).

As I have said before, when Grandpa Dale comes in town the tools come out...and this visit was no exception.  He gave me the wonderful Christmas gift of a new kitchen backsplash...it is wonderful...I had waited too long. :)  Now my kitchen is finally complete.  Thanks Dad!!  (I guess I didn't do a good job taking pictures while we were under construction...)

So, that was the end of our Christmas visitors....it was a fun week leading up to the big day and it was so nice being with everyone.  I know the boys loved it...it was tough to convince them that no one else was coming and that they no longer get gifts everyday!