Merry Christmas everyone! Our Christmas was fun, exciting, overwhelming, busy, and tiring! Like in past years, we celebrated Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and this year, the day after Christmas for a total of 5 celebrations. Since we partied hard and I took lots of pictures, I'm going to break it all up into a few posts so you don't get picture overload. You're welcome :)
I was in school through Friday, Dec. 23rd. This year is our shortest winter break with us going back on Monday, Jan. 2nd, which only gives us a week. I especially hate working the 23rd because not only are the kids crazy but with us leaving the 24th for Christmas celebrations, it gives me hardly any time to sit down and take a breath before the madness begins. But at least next year our break will start to get a little longer with Christmas falling in the beginning of the week!
We woke up Christmas Eve and by mid-morning we were headed to my parents' house for lunch and gifts. We enjoyed some homemade pizza and then let the girls open their gifts from Grammy, Pop Pop, Uncle Derrike, and Cara. They quickly figured out that there was stuff in these bags and boxes for them and enjoyed ripping the paper off and pulling out the tissue paper. The problem was they would want to sit down and play with each gift they got and not move on to the next gift so gift opening took a lot of time!
(Natalie has the Santa pants on, Noelle has the snowflake pants on)
Presents make for a good seat.
And a good standing spot!
Noelle wanted to stop and read every book she opened.
Natalie fell in love with this foam soap and wouldn't put it down for several minutes. She didn't want to open any other gift and just cradled her soap. She finally got distracted, set it down and Ben grabbed it and hid it from her.
Opening their big gift from Grammy & Pop Pop
Rocking horses!
They were both a little wary the first time we sat them on the horses...
...but it didn't take them long to figure out how to rock! I was convinced someone was going to end up in the Christmas tree.
In love with her "horsie"
Natalie & Pop Pop
They were also excited to get a trampoline from Uncle Derrike & Cara!
Grammy opened a special gift from the girls!
After they opened their gifts, it was naptime, which of course they
wanted no part of. Ben and I laid them down and Natalie cried and
cried. When I went in to check on them, both girls had pulled their
pants off and were saying, "poop!" Sure enough they both needed clean
diapers so I changed them, managed to get Natalie's pants back on her
but Noelle refused so she napped pants-less. While the girls napped the
rest of us took turns opening our gifts and then it was time to wake
them up and head to my grandparents' house for dinner and more gifts!
Mom & Dad
Riley-girl
Derrike & Cara
We had a great dinner at my grandparents' house and then the girls got to open more presents from my dad's side of the family. Ben & I opened our presents too since we aren't able to come back for Christmas morning like the rest of the family.
Playing with their cousin, Maddie
Natalie likes to say "CHEEESE" every time she sees a camera pointed at her.
Cheesin' hard!
So cool in her new sunglasses!
They kept looking at the Little People house and saying, "Wow!"
Noelle enjoying her new books!
They managed to rope Maddie into a game of tossing them into the air.
Family
Almost all the grandkids and great-grandkids...missing one in Australia!
Noelle trying to put her dress over Daddy's head.
I tried to get a picture of them in their Christmas outfits by the tree.
Noelle & Natalie
Well, I got some :)
Come back tomorrow for Christmas Day!
