A Blessed Christmas

What a truly wonderful Christmas we had at our home surrounded by family.  Here's a recap of our Christmas activities......


Christmas Eve...
Started tracking Santa on NORAD @5pm
Baked cookies for Santa @6pm
Unwrapped Christmas pj's @7pm
Curlers in Annie's hair while watching 'Twas the Night Before
     Christmas @8pm
Tucked the kiddies in bed @9pm
Last minute wrapping and cleanup finished then mom and
     dad off to bed @12am

Ready to open pj's....do you think Annie is excited?!

 Everyone in their new jammies.

 Cookies and milk ready for Santa.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Christmas Day...
Henry and Annie in parent's room @2:30am
     (Annie stays in parent's bed, Henry back to his bed)
Henry returns to parent's room saying he can't go
     back to sleep @3:30am
Henry and Mom end up staying up chit chatting and watching t.v.
Jack wakes up @6am
Annie and Dad wake up @6:45am
Extended family arrives @7am
Stockings and presents unwrapped @9:30am
Our traditional big breakfast and the smell of bacon
     in the air @10:30am (mmmm.....bacon!!!)
Trying to get big family picture @11:55pm
Extended family leaves @12pm
Nap time for Mom and Jack @2pm
Mom wakes up disoriented and wonders what day it is
     because it is now dark outside @5:30pm
Low key dinner of pb&j's @6pm
Movie watching @6:30pm
Henry asleep on couch @7:30pm
Dad heads to bed @8:00pm
Annie asleep on the floor @9:00pm
Jack gathers all his Christmas presents (including new bike)
     and takes to bed with him @9:30pm
Mom wakes Annie to take her to bed @9:40pm

The kids are ready to get Christmas morning rolling!

(In case you're wondering, Henry's new pj's were too small

so he switched to last year's Christmas shirt, much to Annie's disliking!)

The kids eagerly waiting at the top of the stairs.

"CAN WE COME DOWN YET?!"

Unloading the stockings.

 Jack patiently waits to open the first present.

 I love this picture!  Jack and Henry seem just as excited

to see what Santa brought Annie as she is.

Hooray!  Santa brought Annie what she wanted!

 Santa scored big points this year with his Kindle delivery for Henry!

 Jack shows off his "Big Boy Bike" from Santa.

 Jack loves his tie!

Buzz Lightyear..."To Infinity and Beyond!"

 Annie so relieved she finally got a new scooter.

Clue from Aunt Kristin & family.

New slippers from cousin Ryan.

 The kids with my sister and most of her family.

(Calvin, Kristin, Camille, Cody & Ryan.  We missed you Danny!)

 The kids with Uncle Jeff and Grandma Richards.

 The kids with Grandpa Richards.

 Us amongst all the wrapping paper, tissue, and boxes.

 Kristin working the bacon station as Cody looks eager to get some!

 Don't you just love it when someone takes your picture while you're eating?  Haha

 Calvin running the toast station.

 Everyone trying to get together for a family picture.

 ....still trying....

 Oh forget it!  Everyone's ready to leave.  We'll get one next Christmas!

 The kids with their loot.

 Jack in bed with all his Christmas treasures.

The conclusion of a wonderful day made even better by Annie saying as she gets in bed that today was the best Christmas ever.  Not just because she got everything she wanted for Christmas but because we had so many people in our family here to celebrate with us.  Well said Annie Rose...well said!

The kids pooped out after a long day!

Mom finally finishes the Christmas blog and heads to bed @1am.