Christmas 2014

We had such a fun holiday season this year, and I don't want it to get even a day further into the New Year without blogging about our Christmas =)

 

Christmas Eve David and I were both off work and blessed to have a family day at home together. We decided pretty early that morning that it might be a fun day to open the small, rectangular package under the tree for "The Whole Family."

Which was a How To Train Your Dragon game for the PlayStation!

A few months back, David ordered the kids a Toy Story game for the PlayStation, and showed them how to play it. They LOVED it and have had so much fun playing it. While Christmas shopping on Amazon, this game popped up on my feed and after a quick read of the reviews, Dave and I decided to order it. It's been a fun game for all of us to play together!

We all took turns, and it came as a surprise to no one that I am by far the worst player in the family. The kids got a kick outta watching Momma attempt to fly a dragon.

We hung out around the house all day, and that evening headed to our Church for a Christmas Eve Service, then back home to host some friends for dinner.

Luke assisting with the mashing of the potatoes...

 Aunt Mem spent a good chunk of the day with us, much to our delight =)

 

 

 

The kids all hopped up on Christmas Crazy after dinner on Christmas eve...

After our friends left that evening, Luke and Abbey each selected one present to open. They both chose the present the other had purchased for them...so sweet =).

 

They both picked out perfect gifts for the other. Abbey received a Toothless toy and Toothless lovie, and Luke got a Yoda, Luke SkyWalker, C3PO, and R2D2 toy from Abbey. They were thrilled. We have it on video, and it's just priceless listening to Abbey's voice get higher and higher as she becomes more and more excited.

And they both say "oh thank you!" to each other and hug so sweetly.

And I hold back the weeping.

 

We let them stay up late Christmas Eve, so that they could have some time playing with their newly opened toys. They were giddy with Christmas excitement...it was adorable!

 

 

We got them to bed, and set out their filled stockings and some gifts I'd kept hidden in my closet...

...had a glass of wine, and went to bed ourselves. 

For a bit.

For some reason (excitement? anticipation? nerves? too much wine? no idea.) I was wide awake around 4:30am, and could not go back to sleep. Around 5:30am, I quit fighting it, got up, started the coffee, and watched Christmas episodes of my favorite sitcoms on Netflix.

 Because if you're going to be up hours before your children on Christmas Morning, you're going to need coffee and Christmas merriment.

 

 The kids were so so so so so excited when they came out and saw new presents!!

Luke gets his LightSaber!

Our Little Jedi =)

The kids and I got David this book.

One of my favorite books to read to my babies is this one,  and I'd been looking for something similar for Daddies. This one was a hit!

At the very top of our Abigail's Christmas Wish List was a Viking helmet and axe, accessories from How To Train Your Dragon...her favorite movie, if you hadn't already sensed a theme here...

 

Love her.

Luke and his new Tie Fighter and Darth Vader (you may sense a theme to his gifts this year as well =) )

Dave was a total trooper being in charge of putting everything together...

And the kids just played and played and played...

 

...and David put toys together...

 

 

 

Sweet Dory seemed pleased with the bones she found in her stocking...=)

 

 

It was a great morning. The kids were so grateful for everything and kept saying "Thank you so much!" about anything and everything. We're definitely in that sweet spot at 4.5 years, where their expectations are low and their anticipation is high =).

They really seemed to love everything they opened this year, which made it even more fun. Favorites are the Toothless toy for Abbey (in hand, above) and the LightSaber for Luke...

 

He let Daddy try it out in battle...

Abbey getting Hiccup ready to ride Toothless around the house...

 

 I was so blessed to sit and watch all the excitement happening in my living room. This was the 5th Christmas we've been a family of four...our 11th as a married couple. God has been so faithful to us...shown us such favor. This Christmas, I'm grateful for so much...especially these three people...my Family.