Our Christmas... only a month late!

It’s been so busy around here I forgot I hadn’t written about Christmas!  Of course we headed up to Missouri… what’s Christmas without family?  Especially when there are babies to share it with!  We ended up having TWO Christmas present openings. 

 

 

For the first, Himself and I went with my parents up to Sis’s house to watch the babies open their presents.

 

 

There were stockings to be opened with all sorts of fun little gifts.  You know… I wouldn’t mind having some jammies like Little Bird is wearing! 

 

 

Little Hoss was so focused on watching his Sissy that he forgot all about his own stocking.

 

 

This was a sweet moment.  In her pre-school class, Little Bird had made a present for her Mommy and Daddy.  Everything stopped as they opened her card and gift.  She was so proud!

 

 

Such a BOY!  A good present either has wheels or makes noise.  A GREAT present has both!  Flashing lights are pure bonus.

 

 

He’s not quite sure if he likes Sissy playing with his brand new police car.

 

 

So he decided to play with her new doll bed.  He loaded every single book off their bookshelf into it. 

 

 

Now here is the big surprise.  Sis, Big J, Himself and I spent the Saturday before transforming the storage room into a play room.  Dad came along and watched the babies upstairs while we worked.  There’s still some shelves for bins to be installed but it is “just perfect” for the moment.

 

 

They were amazed!  So worth every minute we worked on it!!

 

 

Nephew… we need to work on your hammering skills…

 

After a delicious breakfast fixed by Big J (a French toast casserole) we four headed back to my parents’ home while Sis and family headed over to Big J’s family for a visit.

By late afternoon, they had made their way over to Mom & Dad’s for Round Two of present opening. 

 

 

This suited the babies just fine!

 

 

We gave Little Hoss this cool cement truck (remember the wheels and noise rule?). 

 

 

And Little Bird got “Charlie”.  She is crazy over the basset hound owned by “Pioneer Woman”. 

 

 

It was a hit!  She was heading into the kitchen to set it by Wrigley’s food and water bowls.  (Wrigley is their real dog).

 

 

Grandma made stockings too.  Sis takes a moment to read one of the books from Little Bird’s stocking. 

 

 

 

This year we decided to have some fun with Big J.  Instead of a larger single present we bought several little things he really likes.  We put them in separate gift bags and hid them.  Here he is opening the first bag… which contained a shopping bag and a rhyme clue to lead him to the next present… and each present had another clue…

 

 

We ran him outside…

 

 

…and upstairs…

 

 

…and downstairs… and all over again!

 

 

Heading back to the couch with his loot!

 

Once Big J was done with his adventure it was time for the babies to get their big gift…

 

Wheels from Grandpa and Grandma!  Little Bird got her first bicycle and Little Hoss got his first Big Wheel (put together by yours truly).    We’ll be doing cul-de-sac guard duty come this spring!