Christmas 2009 Part 1 (finally!)

Well, now that it's January, I figure I should post about our Christmas. (I'm on the ball like that.)

The Tuesday before Christmas I took the kids down to Macon to spend some time with my parents. On Christmas Eve eve, Wednesday, Chris drove down, and we were joined by my cousin and her husband who live in Macon, my aunt and uncle, their kids and Mana and Papa. We had a photographer come and take family pictures--I'll post those when I get them. We had a yummy lasagna dinner and opened packages. Such a fun night! We opted to head back home that night late...the kids did not fall asleep in the car. sigh. (oh, and I was driving alone poking myself in the eye to stay awake, Chris was in his car behind us).

Christmas Eve was a wonderful morning spent at home. Chris had the day off and we had a big breakfast and enjoyed our time together. I had been completely exhausted on Monday--too tired to go to the store, and since I had been out of town, I had to choice but to brave Publix on Christmas Eve. Gracious me! (Let's just say that I was reminded of why I am a type-A planner who is typically ahead of schedule). Anyway, I got home and made a big pot of beef stew to take to Mana and Papa's for dinner. We went to their house, threw it on the stove to keep hot and went to Christmas Eve service. Their church had a 5 o'clock service, but it was a contemporary gym service, which neither of us were interested in. The only other option there was an 11 pm, clearly wouldn't work for us. So, we went to a gorgeous Methodist church down the street from them that many of their neighbors attend for a traditional candelight service . It was long. (it was the "bring your kids" service.) It lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes. The had communion. And took an offering. When it finally ended, we went back for a yummy supper. We pretty much rushed out to get the kids home to open their traditional 1 gift, decorate cookies for santa and shoo them to bed so Santa could come (and the real work could begin...).

Opening their Christmas jammies:



I told them they had to smile and say "cheese" before they could decorate their cookies. Clearly, Ryan is saying with intense insistency, "CHEESE!"



Decorating...



The finished product:



Of course, we had to taste them, you know, to make sure they weren't poisonous or anything. :)



Doesn't he look guilty? Ha! ("what me? I ate my cookie and now I'm outta here!")



After that came bed time. Chris and I then consummed Santa's cookies then I made a squash casserole, sweet potatoe casserole, breakfast enchilada casserole, cut fruit for breakfast, got everything ready for the monkey bread, filled stockings and set my table for Christmas. While I did that, this is what Chris did:



(we watched "White Christmas" my favorite Christmas movie as we worked. I say we, Chris obliged me having it on instead of ESPN). He put together Ryan's bike and spent hours making Anna-Kate's training wheels go on her bike. I bought the bike at a consignment sale and purchased new training wheels to go on it. The bike is too small for the smallest size training wheels--who knew?? (the small bikes evidently come with them specially made and already on). He drilled holes in the metal and made it work. Love that man--what a stud! :)

When we finally went to bed at 1:45 am, here was the finished product--just waiting for Christmas morning (this is taken from upstairs--this is what the kids saw the next morning as they came down the stairs):



Anna-Kate wrote (well, dictated) a letter to Santa asking for a Tinkerbell dress...the one thing she consistenty asked for from him all month. Ryan got "real" soccer, basketball and footballs (just smaller sized). Just stay perched on the edge of your chair...pictures of that will be coming tomorrow.

I slept well that night...until that blasted alarm went off at 7....