Christmas Eve & Morning 2011

I love the pictures in front of the tree- I still remember the GREAT ones we got last year.

A family picture--Stephen was blurry in everyone because he would jump up as soon as the camera went off even though it was still too soon. 

Stephen got Daddy a smore maker so I bought all the fixings and had him wrap them.  When we started wrapping the box of graham crackers he looked at me funny and told me, "this is ridiculous to wrap these."  You would have to hear how he says the word ridiculous--oh my it is the cutest thing ever.  I think it was one of my favorite Christmas moments.

This is one gift Natalie was ecstatic about- "finally a boy doll!" she declared.  Funny she has never told me she wanted one.  But she went on and on about how excited she was. 

Natalie was SO SO SO excited about the gift she got from the little Christmas store at school called the Penguin Patch.  She was SO proud of the gifts she got for everyone.

The anticipation for the gift he got his Sissy...he wanted to tell her before Christmas SO badly--or at least tell her the wrong thing so he could trick her.  What a character he is.

Stephen insisted that the person giving the gift to him would sit in an honored place beside him while he opened the gift- it was really very sweet.

This is the best!!

So cute together...

Getting a little tired...

I love the big smiles and adorable toes!!!

Love the teamwork.

His favorite thing--nano bugs and a glo in the dark track for them.  I was amazed at how much he loved building the track.  I didn't get a picture of Natalie's favorite gift- just video- but when she opened her American Girl masquerade dress, gloves, and accessories in a light sparkly blue and pink she exclaimed "wishes do come true."  She never asked Santa or us for them, but she cut the page out of the catalog and had it.  SO sweet!!!

Santa told the kids that his reindeer like carrots so they threw those out this year instead of oats.  They fed them NINE carrots and the next morning there were THREE still left outside- so they knew the reindeer must've been a little full...

Cookies for Santa!

Getting the stockings up!

These kind of pictures NEVER get old!!!

In Colorado, Stephen asked Santa for a clock: "so I can know when it is my bedtime."  This from the kid who never wants to sleep. 

Our new fish!!  We got him as a white elephant gift and are loving having a fish.  We have thought about getting a betta for the kids for a long time but never have--maybe David is afraid I will kill it.  Very shortly after we started dating we bought a betta fish and the first time I cleaned out his bowl I put him back in and he started floating at the top.  My Dad touched the water and it was piping hot- I cleaned it with hot water and didn't think to change the water temperature back to normal when I filled it.  David has named this newest addition "sushi!!"  And of course it erupts shrieks of mock horror from the kids--makes me laugh because that is the same thing my Dad used to do.

"Thanks Daddy for buying me the 'cute little guy.'"  Stephen is a sucker for these BIG eyed stuffed animals. 

Riding on the scooters Santa brought.

All dressed for church Christmas morning in her new dress.  Stephen was exhausted by the time we were leaving and not in a good mood so he wouldn't take a picture.  But he was ADORABLE too in his new outfit.  It was a pretty wonderful Christmas.