CHRISTMAS!!

I am so sad that Christmas has come and gone already! We have enjoyed the season so much! The gals have loved all things Christmas the Nativites, lights, songs, Christmas books, talking about Jesus, anything to do with Christmas. I loved how they were as much or more excited to talk about baby Jesus as they were to talk about Santa. It is such a great time of year and it is so fun and magical with little kids. I love the innocence they bring and the joy they are to me!

For Christmas Eve, we headed out to Stone and had a great time at Sean's grandparents house. They always spoil us rotten- his grandma had gone to so much work and made a nice meal. We found out while we were there that she had fallen down the stairs outside on ice earlier on the week and was really sore and had been to the doctor and was on the verge of pneumonia. We felt so bad that she had done all she had, but also so loved that in spite of being sore and sick she still wanted her family to have a good Christmas.

We came home and the gals opened their Christmas pajamas and got a plate ready for Santa and went to bed. They were so excited in the morning- when we told them they could come in they came holding hands- it was so cute. They were so excited to see the presents they both just sat and stared at them for a minute. It was so fun watching them open them. We scaled back this year and they were as excited as if they would have had a ton of presents to open. Brooklyn kept saying over and over, "Thank you Santa! Thank you so much Santa!" And so then Gracie started saying it to. It was so cute and made me happy that they were so grateful for the things they were getting. Christmas day was crazy busy, but fun. After we were done opening presents we went down the Ric and Paula's and had a yummy breakfast. We came home from breakfast and loaded up and headed to Smithfield to Sean's parents house. We had another yummy meal, opened some more presents, and headed to Newton. All my siblings arrived and the Andie's came and we had another delicious meal. (I think that I have eaten more this year than any other year.) We opened more presents and headed home to bed. Sunday was busy again going to my parents and Sean's so it has been so nice the past 3 days to do nothing!! The gals have enjoyed playing with their toys, we may or may not have gotten out of our jammies, I have looked at the million things that I should be getting done and not doing them, but we have just enjoyed the time together! This Christmas season has been so wonderful!

The usual playing in the snow. The gals had a blast and Gracie LOVED eating the snow. Brooklyn had to take it easy and couldn't go on the sleigh because earlier she and Sean were playing and she hit her head on the corner of a chair and cut it open. Luckily, she didn't need stitches- it was a really close call. But she had fun riding around in the Ranger with her daddy and her sissy.

Every time we leave Sean's grandparents house I am always so sad that I didn't get a picture of us with them. It was a priority for me to get one. I even got a cute one of the two of them together. They are so cute and call each other 'babe' which is what Sean and I call each other. I love hearing them say that to each other.

Brooklyn got Santa a nice plate ready.

They got to open their Christmas jammies and their presents from each other before they went to bed. They were so excited and loved both things!

Christmas morning is the best! That was the best picture I could get of them coming in together.

I love the top left picture- Brooklyn had asked for a DS and was THRILLED when she opened it and even more excited that it was pink! And the bottom left she was so excited that the family got Kinectimals for the Kinect.

Gracie loved opening her presents to. Of everything she got, her favorite thing is the Color Wonder light up paint set. She is painting non-stop.

Brooklyn also wanted an American Girl doll. (I found this great set from Target with the doll and 5 outfits for less than what an American Girl doll costs.) Grandma and Pops gave it to her and she was in awe when she opened it. She didn't say anything for a minute and just stared at it and then she squealed with delight! Uncle B put Gracie in the box and she was the present. It was so funny. And she got a new baby to replace the one she has loved and worn out. Nat gave her the dress-up outfit and she was strutting her stuff it was so FUNNY!! She would put her hand on her hip and stick it out and then walk and do the same thing over again. She had us all laughing so hard!

We pulled out the Easy Bake Oven grandma and grandpa Harris had given Brooklyn and made some yummy smores.