Christmas

Christmas morning arrived and the kids slept in. Go figure. Joshua woke sometime around 7 with help from Eric and I and then we awoke eveyone else. We waited until everyone was awake and took them down to the presents. Joshua didn't know what to do but Lexie went straight to her chair and got so excited. Once everyone was exhausted playing with their Santa toys we started out handing presents. I wish I thought to get a picture of the tree because with 16 people at my house you can imagine how many presents there were. Lexie helped pass out but we were having problems trying to figure out where everyone should sit with their pile. It was pretty overwhelming at first.


We all take turns opening gifts. Sometimes it can get kinda long but i enjoy looking at what everyone is getting. But because there so many of us the kids were getting restless in between turns so we finally let them take turns amoung the four of them until all their presents were open, then they went off to play and the rest of us were able to get down to business.
Lexie asked for Buzz Lightyear from Santa. Go figure I have no idea why but anytime you asked her that is what she wanted. So the one wrapped gift from Santa was Buzz and she was so excited. It was so neat to see the joy on her face. Later she said to me "Mommy, Santa listened to me." How sweet.
Joshua just loves opening presents. He was so fun when it was his turn. One of us would help him and he would get so excited and then when the present could be seen no matter what it was he would give a squeal of delight or suck in his breath in anticipation. The kids weren't the only ones spoiled. My parents and Erics' parents fulfilled all of our Christmas wishes giving us lots of wonderful things. Mine mostly had to do with scrapbooking or kitchen stuff and Eric's were mostly camping stuff and books.
My nephew got one of those driving jeeps that he was so excited about and Joshua was so content just riding around with him outside. He didn't try to take over the steering wheel at all or anything. It was pretty cold outside and so I didn't stay out there for more than like 5 seconds because my feet were frozen but the cold didn't seem to bother Joshua at all.



We all received games for Christmas and we spent a lot of the rest of them playing them. I can't think of a one that we didn't like. Here some of us are playing a game called Blokus. We also played Ticket to Ride, Puerto Rico (if you play Settlers you will really like this) family feud, Taboo, and then we played Scene It on Xbox. That was a great one. Actually they were all great.

Eric's family always took a picture of each kid with all of their presents. We have continued the tradition. In some ways it is very convenient to remember what they got. And I will admit even Eric and I get our picture taken. But here are the kids with all of their gifts. Well actually some were left out because they got lost until we picked up everything. But you can see that they were spoiled. But in our defense we don't buy any toys for the kids except on Christmas and birthdays so they get spoiled twice a year.

Well I hope everyone had a great Holiday. We sure did and now that I am back home I am not looking forward to having to find places for everything. It seems very daunting.