Our Christmas In Pictures

As you all know, we've been celebrating Christmas for the whole of December. We made Christmas gifts, we made Christmas decorations for the house (you'll see some of these in the pictures), we drank hot chocolate, we played Christmas music non-stop. It was fantastic. But, it all culminated in the last 2 days...super great days. We had a wonderful time, just staying at our house the whole 2 days...playing, having treats, opening gifts and playing some more...fun stuff! Here are just a few pictures of Monday, yesterday, and even this morning.

We had a leisurly Christmas Eve. Here the kids are that morning...Hadley was just sitting in her chair there looking at the tree. I suggested we bring in the Christmas books we have and they could read them at the Christmas tree, so that's what they did...for a very long time.
We still didn't have a tree topper. We had looked at a couple of different stores when we went shopping, but I had thought the whole time we could just make one. When we didn't see any we liked anyway, that's what we did. Joel drew us a star on cardboard (yes, I'm such a horrible artist I can't even draw a star...I didn't even attempt; thank goodness God gave me Joel for all the artistry needs in the family). Then we just put foil on it. Simple, but it looks great.
Eissa even helped a little before her nap.
Our Christmas tree star.


Daddy did the honors and placed it on the tree.
"Woohoo, Daddy...great job!"

Still just looking at their Christmas star.
Now it was movie time...Christmas movie time. So, we watched a cute Mickey Mouse Winter Wonderland video (they don't have any classics like Rudolph or Frosty here) and had some popcorn. It was fun.
Before bed on Christmas Eve, the kids each opened a gift from Granny.

"Um, Daddy...guy with the camera...what's going on here?"

She knows (instinctively I guess...I don't really carry a purse) exactly what to do with a purse. She stuck her arm out for me to put it on her. She carries bags on her arms all the time around the house. So funny.

Hadley got a little purse with flip flops all over it.
"Oh my goodness, there's stuff inside." Some pretty cool ponytail holders were in Hadley's purse.
Curious George book and Mary Poppins DVD.
He immediately started reading his new book. I think he liked his gift.
On my last walk through the house that night, I saw how our star was really shining with the light on it. Had to take a pic.
Waiting patiently to open presents on Christmas morning.
It's finally time!! Grady's first gift...an activity book.

We got some great packages from our friends Thad and Wendy Cooper and their extended family...so amazingly sweet and generous. Here Eissa was opening a gift from them...a great wooden toy. She LOVES it too...she carries it all over the house.
Opening gifts.

About 3 months ago Grady went with me to a paper store. There they also have a few toys. One of those toys was a scooter. Well, after that, that is all we heard from Grady. He called it a "skateboard." He would even ask for jobs so that he could get paid so that he could buy a scooter. He would get a handful of change out of our change cup and declare that he was going to the store to buy a scooter. Anyway, needless to say, that was his big gift for Christmas. He was (and is) pretty excited about it.
Trying it out.
What a mess we make!! Ahh...this is what Christmas is supposed to look like though. :-)
One of Eissa's gifts...a riding toy. Getting a little help from her sister.
LOVES her riding toy.
My cousin Adam got Grady's name at the Hough family drawing. So, he sent him some Lincoln Logs...another SUPER classic toy. Man, we love those. They have been enjoyed by Grady (and Joel) a bunch already...thanks, Adam!
Mama sent the kids a great little set of miniature Tupperware dishes. So fun. I had some of those when I was little too...to play with at Aunt Marilyn's house.
This Christmas was partly about replenishing. We are still in the process, but didn't bring any Legos down to Brasil. So, we were able to get some of those. Little people can't go without Legos.
I got one of these when I was little. I'm not sure how old...maybe even Hadley's age. So, when I saw this at the store the other day, I knew we had to get it. Oh yes, a good ole Fuzzy Pumper Barber Shop.
Cutting hair. She literally sat at the table and played with this for at least 2 hours yesterday afternoon.
Eissa quickly found her riding toy again after she got up from her nap.
Time to make the birthday cake. This is our favorite cake of all time. O.K., maybe it's more like my favorite cake. Nobody else complains though. And I'm sure it must be Jesus' favorite too...surely. :-) I've never thought to ask, but I bet if I asked Him, he would put Himself in bodily form just long enough to eat some with us. It's just that good. :-)

Our birthday party for Jesus. We didn't have any candles, but we sang to Him (we had several times throughout the day already) and ate it up. After this, the kids took showers, we read our last Christmas book of the day, and went to bed. Then, Joel and I watched "Christmas With the Kranks," the only Christmas movie they carry at the movie store.
The rest of these pictures were taken this morning. Here is Joel helping the kids with a Toddlers' computer game that Mama sent them.
Hadley got a doctor (or a nurse, right?) kit from us for Christmas. So, here is sick Hadley getting some care from Dr. Grady.


Again, hope you had a very Merry Christmas...just like we did!!