We had a nice and quiet Christmas morning with just our little family. After so many years of being in someone else's home on Christmas morning we have really come to enjoy having our own special family time on Christmas. We take our time opening each present and let the girls have the chance to play with each toy after it is opened in the hopes that they will appreciate each and every gift instead of being in the mentality of wanting more and more. It means that Christmas morning lasts a whole lot longer, but when you don't have any other pressures of anywhere else to be, why not take your time?
Santa always gets 3 gifts for each girl and fills their stocking. Then they also each get one present from Mom and Dad. Since money has been a bit tight lately and there was one present that was more expensive than usual for the girls, Brad and I made the decision to forgo gifts for each other to try and trim the budget a bit. I really missed thinking about and picking out special gifts for Brad this year, but I also appreciated recognizing the sacrifice we were making for our special little girls and the chance it gave me to completely forget about myself. I know my parents did similar things for my siblings and me when we were little and I think it is important that kids see that sometimes you have to make those choices and you can't always just have it all.
This year Ella asked for some make-up (nail polish and lip gloss) and some new chapter books. Maggie asked for "my very own lemonade"--no lie, that is what she wanted most and she didn't ask for anything else. I kept being worried that she would change her mind the day before Christmas and ask for something completely different, but she didn't. At first she thought Santa had forgotten and she was disappointed, but once she found it hidden behind her stocking she was thrilled! Hadley didn't care one bit what she got, but she was happy with everything anyway.
Christmas morning is always so magical. I just love it especially with these sweet children we have who appreciate it so much.
Waiting in the hall to see what Santa brought. . .SO EXCITED!
Hadley wasn't there, because she had already INSISTED on eating. This girl is SO funny. . .the second she wakes up she wants to eat, and NOTHNG else will pacify her until she has some food in her tummy. The funniest thing about it is that for how starving she always is, she still will only sit and eat for about 5 minutes before wanting to get down!
There was a big surprise this year for Ella and Maggie. Here is a pic of the note they got from Santa about it:
They got a bunk bed for their dolls and then a few minutes later realized that there might be a bigger one for them somewhere in the house. . .
The surprised and excited faces when Maggie searched and disovered it in Hadley's room!
These cute sisters have been wanting a bunk bed for a long time and have also been begging to share a room with Hadley. Santa gave them their wish. . .can you tell they were pretty excited about it?
A few more pics of some Christmas morning fun. . .
