Christmas Day

With how the kids were talking when they went to bed Christmas Eve, I thought for sure we were in for a 5:00 wake up call.  Thank goodness I was the only one awake that early.  Something woke me up, and it took me over an hour to get back to sleep. That was short lived though because Katelyn came dancing into our room about 6:20 followed soon after by Jacob.  I wanted Dallin and Kinlee to get as much sleep as possible so I made the kids watch Phineas and Ferb in my room for awhile.  Finally around 6:45, the guilt started to set in, and I woke everyone else up.

 After everyone had used the bathroom and the camera was in hand, we headed out to the family room.  As we walked in together everyone spread out to see their own pile, except for Jacob. He walked right past his stuff, back into Katelyn's room and returned with a couple of presents that he and the kids had helped my family wrap up for us. I'm pretty sure I have it on camera, but I remember being very shocked.  I mean seriously, what kid do you know gives no thought to his own gifts? The first thing on his mind was getting our presents that were hid in Katelyn's closet and showing them to us. He wanted us to open them right then and there, but I told him we would get to it in a minute.  Only then did he turn around to see what he had gotten. As the day went on, it sunk in more and more what he had done. He is such a sweet boy.  He has always, always thought about others before himself, but this takes the cake. I'm so thankful to my family who helped the kids put this together and allowed Jacob's example to teach me of how I need to be. The present (which was a beautiful stand and picture of all the kids) was just icing on the cake!

The kids seemed to like their Santa loot and their gifts. Dallin said his favorite present was everything.  Katelyn said it was too hard to choose one thing. And Jacob changed his mind every time you asked him. I don't have as many pictures as I would like but it was kind of hard to pass out presents, keep Kinlee from opening everyone else's presents, get the toys out of the boxes, keep the wrapping paper picked up, be there in the moment with each kid and take pictures all at the same time so I'll just be happy with what I have.

 the boys got skateboards

 Katelyn got the Furby Boom she hoped for

 the rest of her stuff,  plus a bean bag that isn't pictured.

 Dallin got a new stove (that's what he calls it). He also got a bean bag, a skateboard, a volleyball, a Dora backpack set and a cupcake matching game

 Sibling gifts...Dallin got Katelyn a stuffed elephant and Kinlee got Jacob a gigantic box of football cards

 Katelyn got Kinlee a Dora doll, and in the background Dallin is putting on the football gloves that Jacob got for him...which actually changed to volleyball gloves because they match the volleyball that Santa brought him :)

 Kinlee FINALLY got her own Ipod.  Now she doesn't have to steal and sneak everyone else's. She has played it everyday since. She may be addicted. :)

The rest of the day was spent helping kids set things up and playing with them. Jason and I felt like we were running in circles.  We had a million half done things all around us.  It seemed like as soon as we'd start something, a kid would need us so we would stop what we were doing and go to them.  It's a miracle that I was able to get a Turkey dinner put together to eat with Bischoffs that night. I told Jason that next year we are keeping the dinner simpler so I can spend more time with the family.

My parents and sisters came out later that night to see what the kids had gotten, and then we sent the kids to bed at their normal 8:00 bed time (or pretty close anyway).  We were all pretty exhausted after our tiring day of fun!  

Tired or not Jason took down all the Christmas decorations that night and packed them away. I looked around my house that night and noticed that the only sign that Christmas had even happened were the new toys on the kids' closet shelves.  It always amazes me that what takes weeks of preparation is over in the blink of an eye.

I'm already sad it's over.  If it weren't for Kinlee destroying the decorations I maybe even would have left my Christmas tree up longer this year.  But we've already made some plans for next year and how we are going to make it better for our family, and I'm sure before I know it I will be wondering how it got to be December so fast.

*For some reason I didn't get pictures of Jacob's and Kinlee's presents.  Jacob got a desk, a bean bag chair Madden 25, a Broncos football, a kicking tee and some Broncos gloves. Kinlee got a bean bag, a doll stroller, a big hugs elmo, and a dora backpack set and a trike