Christmas 2008

I should have done this over the weekend but I was so busy and so tired.

Our Christmas went very well this year thanks to Dave and I agreeing to cut out some of the stops. It was hard not to see some of our family members but I think we all benefited from being home more than on the road.

We started things off Christmas Eve with my MIL Sharon. We headed up to her house as soon as I got home from work.



First thing we had to do was open the presents. There was no way the kids were going to sit and eat dinner with the presents staring at them calling their names. As usual they got way to much but we always appreciate it. Emma's big present this year from Sharon is a wooden vanity for her room that is still in the box because Dave has worked everyday since Christmas Day. Ian's big present is a table race track thing and it too is still in the box. Dave and I waited to open our presents until the kids were all done. I got a Kitchen Aid mixer that I can't wait to use and Dave got and Acoustic Guitar. After the presents were all opened we ate some very yummy pizza and a million cookies and candies. One tradition we always have in our family is Christmas PJ's that my mom makes for the kids each year and that I put on them before we leave Sharon's Christmas Eve.



(now Dave got a hold of my camera and was playing with settings which messed it all up so most of these pictures did not turn out very well)

We left Sharons around 9 which put us home around 10. The kids somehow managed to stay awake on the car ride home but they were still forced to their rooms as soon as we got in. Around midnight Dave went upstairs to see if they were asleep yet which they weren't. When Dave asked why they were not sleeping Ian told him it was because they were too excited to sleep! So in order for me to get the presents upstairs and wrapped we put the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs that way if they snuck down they wouldn't be able to get off the stairs.

During my wrapping time Dave's good friend Joe called to say his girlfriends water had just broke and they were on their way to the hospital. I finished up around 2am just as Joe was texting Dave to say she was for sure in labor and they would be having a Christmas Baby.

Thankfully the kids slept until 8 instead of 7 like last year. They had a great time opening all their gifts and were really fun this year. Santa was very smart this year and got them similar things so not to cause more fights than needed. They both got Leapstar II's with carrying cases, sleeping bags, luggage and new backpacks, and movies of their own. Emma also got some barbies and a board game while Ian got a wild west electronic gun and targets.

At 1 my family (Steph, Nick, Alicia, Kj, and mom) arrived for lunch and presents. Again my kids got way to much but loved all of it. After presents it was time to relax and eat way too much junk food while watching A Christmas Story. Around 5 my brother Nick and his wife Alicia left to go to her families and Dave and I headed off to the hospital to see our friends baby who was born at 9:58am that morning.



Finally it was back home to put the kids to bed and for some quality quiet time for mommy and daddy.

So that was our Christmas, I hope yours was just as Merry as ours was.