Christmas Morning...

Christmas Morning was much like most everyone else's, I'm sure: Lots of wrapping paper tearing, surprised faces and squeals of excitement, and many hugs and thank yous!

A calm, clean house with lots of goodies under the tree:

Ben was awake at 5am, eager to open presents, but his uncool parents insisted he go back to bed. After several more nudges and pleadings to go down stairs over the next hour and a half, we finally crawled out of bed, woke up Bella (left Mia to sleep because she needs it) and went down stairs around 6:30am.


Santa really pulled through on the Family Gift: A new Nintendo Wii complete with World Tour Rock Band:

John was pretty surprised and excited by that last one too!

But the parents can not be out-done by Santa, so Mom and Dad pulled through with new bikes for Ben and Bella and a rocking horse for Mia.

Bella was actually with me when I bought the bikes, and I had convinced her the purple bike was for Mia because Bella already had a tricycle. She was a little sad, but seemed to get the logic that she already had a bike and Mia didn't. So imagine her surprise when we wheeled the bikes out and told her it was really hers. She just sat there in disbelief for a second and then caught on by saying "It's soooo beautiful!". She then rode her bike around the house for the next several hours. To say she loved it, would be an understatement!

After the kids had opened all of their presents, we decided to finally wake up Amelia around 8am and let her in on the fun.

It only took her to open one present before she got the idea and was more than happy to rip the wrapping paper, especially at the excitement of parents who for once were not saying "No-No Mia".

Playing with the long-asked-for Wii:

The aftermath and a day's worth of clean-up for mom, but hey, these little ones are totally worth it!


I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas with your families as well and We missed being with good friends and family during this holiday season, but it was great getting to talk to almost everyone through blessed technology and Skype!