I'll Be Home For Christmas...

Today we had a very different kind of Christmas. Good, but different. This year is "in-law year" for my side of the family and everyone is dispersed between their spouses' families in Livingston & Waco, TX and California. (Corey's mom & siblings live all over the place... Tennessee, Oklahoma, Colorado, Mexico.) We will get together this weekend with my family to celebrate and exchange gifts, so today it was just the 5 of us... our little family... celebrating Christmas.



It all started at 6am this morning. Allie (never the first to awake) was in our room ready to go. Honestly, I am surprised that she beat me up... I am usually bright eyed and bushy tailed on Christmas morning. I have even been known to wake the babies, so we can get things started... I LOVE Christmas morning! Anyway, by 6:15 Allie went to wake the boys and Corey & I got the cameras and coffee ready. The kids were so excited to run downstairs to see what Santa brought! It is always hard to get a good photo of their first glimpses of the tree and all of the loot on Christmas morning, but the expressions on their faces are priceless.


The highlights...
~ The American Girl Doll Of The Year, Nicki, for Allie

~ A bike for Jack

~ A "panano" for Cooper


We spent the next hour or so looking over what Santa brought, going through stockings, and opening gifts from each other. Cooper was so funny as he looked through his stocking. He was very methodical and excited about every little thing... especially the fruit snacks and candy.

~ Mini Cooper cars are a big deal in our family... we point them out every time that we see one on the road. I have started a Mini Cooper car collection for Cooper, and he loved playing with the 2 that he received today.

~ Webkinz... It was only last Christmas that we had never heard of the cute little toys, and the big kids got their first Webkinz. A year later they are still excited about them. Jack gave the reindeer to Allie and Cooper (our little "turtle") gave the turtle to Jack. I LOVE his face in this photo... so excited!


~ When else can a couple wear matching Cowboys PJs besides Christmas? Allie thought that we were embarrassing, but oh well... that is not the first or lsat time that that will happen. We thought that it was fun. :)

~ My best gifts ever!


This afternoon we all went outside to watch Jack ride his new bike. (Yes, were we still in our PJs this afternoon. That is one of the things that I like about Christmas in Texas... watching the kids play with their new toys outside in my pajamas. One year we all played basketball in our PJs on Christmas Day.) While we were outside I got a chance to play with my new toy too... Corey got me a new lens for my camera, and I LOVE it!




We spent the early-afternoon/ evening cleaning up our big breakfast, playing with all of the new toys, talking to family on the phone, preparing dinner, baking pies, and playing with toys some more...

Then, this evening we ate our Christmas dinner. It was hard to make "Christmas dinner" for only 5 people (half of which don't eat much) because there are just some things that you HAVE to eat... or it's not Christmas. We had ham, dressing, cranberry sauce, my potato concoction, Corey's zucchini concoction, "fluff" that Allie loves, & rolls, and I made my Granny's pecan pie for Corey and another pie for me and the kids.


After dinner we were off to the movies (with the rest of our town... I didn't know so many people went to the movies on Christmas!). We saw National Treasure 2. It was great! My favorite part was near the end, in a tense moment, Cooper said to me, "This is a scary movie. Let's get outta heeya!" He actually loved the movie... especially the popcorn and coke!

~ Allie & Cooper wore their new clothes (given to them for Christmas by their daddy) to the movie.


Now we're home... One of us is asleep, one is playing her new Wii game, two of us are playing guitars, and one of us is unwinding on the computer. It is calm and peaceful. I am not sure if I like holidays to be this quiet, but I am adjusting. Christmas has just about come to an end, and I cannot believe it. It was a good day. A different day, but a good day.