Christmas Morning 2010

After putting the kids to bed last night, we were all snuggled in for a warm winter's sleep. 

Not happening!  By the time daylight came this morning, I had been up at least five times with different kids with fever.  The twins ended up in bed with me while Dad moved with Brock into his bed.  All three kids felt bad but E was the worst of all.  Thankfully, they ate breakfast with Dad and let me sleep in a bit so before we opened gifts.

 "Oh, H, you got me green tissue paper!"  The kids thought that was so funny!

 H got creative with her gift giving.  She foung things she no longer wanted and gave them to the twins.  "They play with them anyway.  I may as well give them the toys."  E loves her new sunglasses.

 B is showing off his new Hot*Wheels from Pawpaw and Nana.  That's the only cars they'll be buying him.

 Dad and the other three kids got H some sharp cheese and crackers that she loves.  She was completely surprised.

 H sporting the new cap E got her.

 All four kids received a t-shirt in support of a family in Tenn who is trying to adopt two boys from Ethiopia.  And B is waving the gift Ethan made him.

 You rock, Uncle Shawn, Aunt Heather, Mia, Ethan, Ella Kate and Ava!

 Dad and his sweet C.

 When B opened his new robe, C said, "I was the one who needed a new robe.  But that's okay.  I'm glad you got one, B."  Little did she know....

 B used most of his points at KidzTown to get the twins a new Web*kinz.

C got E a ring with a pink butterfly.

 And E got C a new Pink*alicious book.  They know each other so well.

 Oh, look what C got...a new robe!  And it's purple!!  (Do you know how hard it was to find a purple robe in her size!?  This was perhaps the hardest gift to find this year.)

And E got her "very own sewing kit" so she won't have to ask H for a needle any more!

 And B...well, he finally got a football jersey!  Yes, he was very excited!

 As for Miss H...she received eight, yes, I said eight, Nancy*Drew books.  But she's only allowed to read one a day.  Or else we would never see her again.

"Look!  Can you believe it!?"  Between the jersey and the books, I think Dad and I got two thumbs up this year.  And the sewing kit and purple robe were just the ticket as well.

E was a real trooper but she didn't feel well.  So after all the gifts were opened, everyone settled in for an easy morning.

Little did they know that Christmas was not over...

 An hour or so before noon..."Hummm...I just heard a car door close.  I wonder who that is?!" - Mom

 It's Miss Jane and Miss Laura!

 "How did you get here!?"

 Miss Jane will certainly help E feel better.

 And they brought a gift...

 "I wonder what it is!?"

 It's a bank that counts the money as they put in the coins.  One more way to keep up with our missions money.

It took a few minutes of reading the directions, but we finally figured out how to use it.  If the balance goes over $9999.99, it starts over with zero.  I wonder if we'll ever get that much??

And so we spent Christmas Day with our family and dear friends.  Dad made a yummy lunch of baby back ribs.  And we had cake that Miss Laura made and cheesecake.

And then some took a nap while others read or played or talked.  By the time we tucked in the four kids at bedtime, they all had a fever.  But for the first time for most of us, we were enjoying the beginning of...

a white Christmas!

May we never forget with all the traditions we enjoy that the only reason we celebrate Christmas is because of the first, the greatest gift ever given...Jesus, God's Son!

Merry CHRISTmas!