Our Happy Holiday

Christmas Eve! We spent the day at home just relaxing and getting some of the food prepared before hand for the next day. Santa showed up at our door ( we had a fire going in the wood stove ) and MN heard him come in. All of the children had gone off to bed and the boys had already fallen asleep but MN and KN ran quietly out to the living room to spy on Santa!

MN asked if she could sit on his lap for just a minute as Santa handed her some candy.

KN headed right out the front door to see if she could find his reindeer. She said she couldn't see them but also did not see any car in sight that might have brought Santa to our house so maybe the reindeer were hiding? She was extremely grateful that Santa brought her a bottle of Tabasco this year instead of candy. Now she can take it along where ever she goes to spice up her food just the way she likes.

Little J was sleeping away as Santa laid a little toy doggy on his tummy.

I was awakened around 6 am Christmas morning by loud children's voices as they excitedly opened their favorite boxes of cereal which I always surprise them with on the dining table each year. My husband was also very loud as he tore up newspaper to get the wood stove re started.

Then the opening of gifts began. Little J really enjoyed looking at his new pop up puppy book!

All four posed for me in front of the tree later after the paper and boxes were cleared away. The girls are in their new dresses which they LOVE. My husband rated this a very good Christmas already as he only had ONE toy that was wired to it's packaging! All of the others came out very easily. I think the toy makers are getting a clue or maybe more of them have become parents themselves who've had to devote hours of their Christmas morning to unlocking, unwiring, ungluing, cutting, ripping and tearing toys out of their boxes.

Right about 1:00 pm the family started to arrive! We were so excited to be having my husband's sisters, brother in laws, Dad and step mom, nieces and nephews and my folks over for Christmas dinner! Of course there were more gifts to exchange and KN unwrapped something at the top of her wish list - a Singer sewing machine for young beginning seamstresses!

Look at this sweet newest addition to our family! Our new little niece born just after Thanksgiving to my husband's younger sister!

We sure got a kick out of watching these two little men experience Christmas! Here they both check out possible ornaments to pull off the tree.

All seven of the 'grandkids' to my husband's parents were in the house so we had to gather them and snap a few photos. Wonderful company, wonderful food ( too much! ) We felt so privileged to have them all make the drive out to our house to spend their Christmas with us. A truly enjoyable day! I'm now really enjoying catching up on all of your Christmases through your blogs and spent yesterday rearranging and organizing the girl's room to create a sewing / crafting corner for KN and a baby doll nursery / kitchen set area for MN. May the last week of 2009 be a blessed one for you all!