Christmas Day!

CHRISTMAS DAY!

Oops! I am totally technilogically challenged. This picture was suppose to be by the other other picture of the train table and I couldn't figure out how to move it or delete just the photo. Sorry. I am proud of the train table I built, though.

Following my childhood tradition the children lined up at the top of the stair youngest to oldest while mom and dad went down to check if Santa had come.



Checking out the stockings.

Despite all my efforts to keep present opening an orderly ordeal, the kids dove in in earnest. The moment I turned my head to admire one child's gift, another child (usually Maycie) was well on their way ripping the wrapping off another. Needless to say, the whole even was over pretty quickly.

The train set from Grandpa Duke on the train table I built.

Hula hoop contest.
Addie got pretty darn good at it. She could go for quite a while.

The girls both got horse themed musical treasure boxes.

Alex got the coveted gift of the year- an all terrain trike.

The infamous gold dress.

This dress gave me more than one headache this Christmas season. After proudly finishing my Christmas shopping on Amazon based on the kids gift requests (and what I wanted them to have) Addie pulled a fast one on me when we made our traditional visit to Santa. Standing nearby I heard Addie request a gold dress like her friend's at church, which was not something I ordered from Amazon. Thinking it was a mere whim, I decided to ignore her request. However, as the season went on all she talked about was the beautiful gold dress Santa was going to bring her. A couple days before Christmas I decided that the magic of Santa and Christmas lasted just a few short years and a child should get what they really want. I was thrilled to find out that the Addie's friend's dress was purchased at Walmart a few weeks before for only $16. However, after searching every Walmart in town in the Christmas bustle with no luck, I resigned myself to sewing it - after already sewing the girls Christmas dresses and the entire family jammies. Despite only seeing the coveted dress once I came pretty darn close to the original- and Addie was thrilled, which was the whole point. Mission accomplished. Next year, the kids are setting their list on stone by writing a letter to Santa by Dec. 1st.

Maycie's love affair with horses continues for the 3rd year.

I failed to take a picture, but the kids also got hippity hop balls. They had a blast hopping all around the house on them.

After presents we had a yummy brunch of baked eggs, warm cinnamon rolls (my specialty), fresh fruit, bacon, egg-nog and hot chocolate with candy cane stir sticks served on our Christmas dishes. Interestingly enough, the kids begged to do this breakfast tradition again several times after Christmas. We'll keep it as something to look forward to every year.

The 4th annual Christmas night dinner with our North Carolina family, the Abbotts and Smiths. Our dear friends, the Petraneks, also joined us.
From left to right: Lauren Petranek, Corbin Smith, Luke Abbott and Addie.

A full house. 16 kids and 8 adults.

Sandy showing off her new camera to the Smiths.

Our gracious host and hostess: Randy and Sandy Abbott.

After dinner the kids got to act out a live nativity with costumes borrowed from the church. Maycie's a donkey, Alex is a camel and Addie a shepherd.

The 3 wise men presenting their gift to the baby Jesus.

When the first Mary chickened out, to her delight Addie was asked to play Mary.

Caleb Abbott as Joseph and baby Liam Smith as Jesus.

Heavenly hosts singing praises to God.
Anna Abbott, Madisen Petranek and Corbin Smith.

How angelic.