Christmas Report

Sorry for the extended absence (again). I've been enjoying my break, maybe a little too much. The past two weeks have involved watching lots of movies with the kids and with Brendon, staying in our pajamas all day, leftovers galore, NOT taking down the Christmas decorations, and becoming a teeny bit obsessed with old seasons of Friday Night Lights.

The tree finally comes down today, though, and it's back to the grindstone on Monday, so here's a report on how our Christmas went down...

On Christmas Eve morning, we got up and the kids enjoyed having Brendon home from work to play with while I puttered around in the kitchen, making soup and cookies. Around lunchtime, we got ready and headed over to Nana's house, where we played some games, messed around on our phones...

 
 

And apparently let the kids have a throw-down. (I was oblivious to this part until I saw these pictures.) We decided soup on Christmas Eve just might be our new tradition because everyone was able to just make up their pot (three kinds) and then relax and enjoy the rest of the day. It was so nice.

 After dinner, the littles decorated their cookies for Santa.

 

And one for themselves, of course. And, oh, Aubrey...

 

Would you like a cookie with those sprinkles?

Then Papa, as is tradition, gathered us around for a Christmas devotional and reading from Luke 2. Check out this picture, though, with my sisters and brother in Seattle and New York State skyping in on the evening. A coast to coast broadcast of our Christmas Eve. (Que the Napolean Dynamite "I Love Technology" song.)

Then we headed home and opened a gift. I tricked the kids this year and told them I did not buy them Christmas pajamas to open this night.

I bought them their favorite character pajamas instead. After changing, they called Grandma to tell her how excited they were, and then it was off to bed.  

And this is how I found them at 6:03 the next morning.

After a bit of stalling, we let them at it, and the mayhem began.

  
 
 

Alex's Christmas morning interests went like this: Collect and hoard the glitter bouncy balls from each stocking. Collect and hoard the candy from each stocking. Finally get on board with his actual gift.

 

Santa came through for Aubrey and her "blue baby" request. Good job, Santa!

 

Shayne was a blur of Legos and Bakugan.

And Gracie's reactions didn't disappoint.

 

She fulfilled her dream of becoming a vet, and every stuffed animal within five miles has since been examined and declared either fit or on death's door. Don't worry, though, she's well equipped to nurse them back to full health.

 

I'm so glad Matt and Mandy were with us on Christmas morning to share in the fun (the above picture was taken later in the day), and I'm so grateful to Mandy for catching some of these shots of both the Christmas-morning chaos and the ENTIRE family:

And this picture that is evidence that Christmas 2010 was well documented:

After a morning of playing, we group-skyped with our extended Moore family. I think we had people in four different states on one video chat. So cool!

 

Then it was over to Nana's again for more presents and Christmas dinner, after which we all watched Despicable Me. And just breathed.

Definitely one for the books.