Merry Christmas

This was our first Christmas eve without any commitments and so we went out and saw the lights. It had been on Steph's todo list, but around 7:30, she started being concerned about getting home and off to bed. Well, that should have been my first clue...let's just say, she caught me off guard on this one.

An old tradition of mine was always opening up jammies on Christmas eve, so we have done it with our girls. It is nice for pics in the a.m...These lovely pj's were matching sets made for them by our sweetest sewing teacher Ms. Russ. We love her so much. There were squeals of delight and little did I know they would still have them on without ever changing, 24 hours later.

Before bed, the letter was written to Santa, cookies were left out and we had to go put out the reindeer treats in the lawn for Rudolph and his friends. Let me know if you need the recipe. They were a little disappointed that there was a little left on the ground, I just assured them how filling oatmeal can be.

We woke up this morning to both of the girls confessing before seven o'clock, that they had went out and checked on things in the living room..."WHAT?" I not so sweetly exclaimed..."WHEN?" They said about 4:00a.m....Yes, folks, I never saw that one coming. Shock! I gathered myself together, considered how our day would be with what, five hours sleep? And off we went. They tore into those stockings hung by the chimney (we don't have one, so it was the front door) with care, and oh the goodies they found. Notice, the huge presents behind them, looming, screaming, OPEN ME! They had to be reminded!!

And this is what we found...Doll beds. So precious. Surprised. In love. Fascinated. And see that Nutcracker in the middle of the floor. Yes, that was on Stephanie's list...It works. She loves it. Could be one of her top five. Cents people, cents!

And this is what happens when something electronic does not work and your Dad writes help manuals, and instructions for a living. Read them people. It makes his heart proud. She just wanted it to work, and he wanted to FIND the answer and error. And of course, being up since four in the morning does not help when you are days from being eight and you just want your present to work.

Both girls got a personal journal from their Aunt Rhonda and there were more squeals. What does a five or eight year old need to write in a journal that needs to be locked by a secret password? I am just wondering. Olivia did not choose a secret code, she makes some alien noise, and poof, it opens. Scary!

But, one of the highlights to my day was having that young man next to Steve join us for Christmas dinner at the Gideons. He is my grandfather, and he gave up his own comfortable house, and joined us for the afternoon. I love him, and am honored to be related to such a man. This was only his second Christmas without my Grandmother, but at eighty-nine, he is doing just fine. What a incredible day. Hope you were able to bask in the treasure of family today.

And I must say, with what little sleep we all had last night, it was a well-mannered day. Of course, off they went tonight to bed at 7:00p.m., and I am still up thanks to that ice cold coke for dinner.