Christmas 2008

I am finally sitting down to blog about our Christmas! We had such a wonderful Christmas, I just wish I had more pictures of everyone! I have a lot of the kids... as usual, but am sad that I don't have any of Denny's brothers or his parents!!! How does that always happen?!

This year for Christmas we were blessed with everyone coming up to Frisco to spend it with us. Ryan got into town on Tuesday and then Denny's parents took the red eye from LA and got into town at 9:00 a.m. Christmas Eve! We had a fun day full of playing and baking! And then going out to Jin Beh for dinner (which I just realized that I have pictures of that on another camera that I forgot to upload!!! Argh!).

During the last week of school before break Olivia had made some reindeer food with her class. Gigi also brought some with her, and it was magic reindeer food. It attracted the reindeer right to our house with it's pretty sparkles. So, when we got home from dinner Olivia was ready to sprinkle her "magic" reindeer food on the front lawn.

After the yard had been sprinkled we hurried in to open our annual Christmas Eve presents of new pajamas! Then it was time to change, set out Santa's milk and cookies, a quick book about the birth of Jesus, and off to bed. Since the reindeer food had been sprinkled we had to hurry to get Olivia and Jack to sleep before Santa came!

The kids with their presents

Olivia loves gingerbread men, so when I saw these matching pj's I knew I had to get them!

Jack looks very interested doesn't he?

Setting out Santa's snack!

We got up the next morning and were so excited to see what Santa had brought!

If anyone knows us, you know that Olivia never sleeps in! Even if she is up until midnight, the girl has this internal alarm clock that gets her up every day between 7:00 and 7:30. So imagine our shock when she slept until 8:15!!! Christmas morning no less! I was so eager for her to get up and see her loot, that must have been why she slept in! :) But I was happy that she was getting obviously some much needed rest!

Sadly, I don't have any pictures of her reaction when she saw her beloved Emily American Girl doll she had so desperately wanted! I was busy on the video camera capturing the moment! But, I think I have mentioned on here before that she is not very demonstrative when she opens gifts. Christmas is no different. I know she was excited, but I am always looking for a loud squeal, jumping up and down, running to her gifts, or something equally enthralling and it just doesn't happen! I have learned to accept that is just how she is, but it is still a little disappointing, I won't lie! :)

Olivia opening her stocking... A Hannah Montana microphone that plays her favorite song, Nobody's Perfect!

Daddy playing with Liv's Hannah Montana guitar. Maybe he's a long lost Jonas Brother or something....

Awww... my sweet little boy smiling at something!

Olivia "helping" Jack open his gifts.

A fire truck given to Jack by his sweet sister. She picked it out and everything!

This is Jack's "Whatchu talkin' 'bout Willis?" look

Yea!!! A picture of both kids in their pj's on Christmas!!!

Olivia giving Jack a kiss

... and another one

... and another one, with a bear hug! Her love seems to be smothering poor Jack!

Later in the evening (yes, we were still all in our pj's), Grandma stopped by to share her gifts with the kids!

Olivia was in awe of her BIG present!

A cleaning cart! Like mother like daughter I suppose!

And then we had one last Christmas celebration with Nana's family at Lala's house last Sunday! I did not have my camera out much, but did capture some sweet pictures of the kids with Nana!

All in all our Christmas was so much fun! We got to spend so much time with all of our families and eat lots of yummy food! What more could you ask for?! We hope that your family was equally as blessed over the holidays and you are all enjoying a wonderful start to 2009!