A Very Merry Christmas

This post is going to be mostly pictures and lots of them. We had a great Christmas. I thought that once you became a grown up and had kids of your own you started enjoying sleeping in Christmas morning, and the kids always had to come wake you up, but apparently Arron and I haven't outgrown our child like joy of Christmas morning. We were up before the kids and had to go in and wake both of them up. It was so much fun watching both kids enjoy opening their presents this year now that Anna is old enough to open hers herself. She liked it so much she kept trying to open every present under the tree whether it was hers or not.

Noah sound asleep Christmas morning.

Anna sound asleep Christmas morning.

Noah walking out to see what Santa has left him.

Anna checking out what Santa has left her.

Excited about her new Elmo phone. She picked it out herself. It was the one toy at the store she kept playing with one day when I was out Christmas shopping.

He loves Iron Man.

His new Star Wars ship.

Just what he wanted, a lightsaber, or as he calls it a lifesaver.

She loves her new baby doll.

I love this picture. Elmo almost seems alive because they both look so happy to see each other.

Noah's new race track.

I wasn't sure how much she'd enjoy her new dolls and cradle and stroller, but she has really enjoyed playing mommy. She tucks her doll in its cradle, feeds it, and kisses it good night over and over again.

Helping Daddy open his presents.

Helping Mommy open presents.

A present from Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob. Anna loves to listen to this doll talk and make silly sounds. It makes her giggle.

Noah's Iron Man mask he got from Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bob.

Anna's checking out her Christmas stocking presents.

Noah's opening his Christmas stocking presents.

She likes wearing her new sunglasses.

Noah's excited about his new Hulk from Grammy and Nanny.

Anna opening a present from Grammy and Nanny.

She's excited about this one, dancing Brobee from her favorite show Yo Gabba Gabba.

I only gave her a tiny little piece of the oreo cheesecake I made, and she still ended up with a chocolate beard on her face somehow.

Still playing mommy pushing one of her babies around in her new stroller.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was very busy. Arron took the day off, so we were all able to spend the whole day together. I baked several pies and cookies too all day that day. Some were for us and some were for the police department. Arron also cooked a ham to take to the police department. There's not much open on Christmas Day, so we always take food to the station for the police officers who have to work. After we got all of our baking done we ate a quick dinner and then got everyone dressed and ready for the Christmas Eve service at church. Both kids behaved very well this year. I was so happy for that. When we got home from church we took some pictures of all of us dressed in our nice Christmas clothes, and then we baked gingerbread cookies and decorated them to leave for Santa.

After the Christmas Eve Candlelight service at church.

An attempt at a picture of just the kids, but Anna won't stay in one place long enough.

Just Noah all dressed up.

And another one of Noah.

Trying to get one of just Anna all dressed up.

Another attempt, and about the best I'm going to get.

Decorating gingerbread cookies for Santa.

Sampling one too.

The decorated cookies we left out for Santa.

Noah's note to Santa.

Our house all decorated this year.

He loves him, She loves him not

This is what our visit with Santa was like this year...

This is one way they are as different as night and day. He has always loved Santa, the Easter bunny, or anyone dressed up in a costume. He'll go right up to them and hug them and talk to them. Actually, he'll talk to anyone that'll listen. The other day I couldn't get to my car at Wal-mart because he wouldn't stop talking to the Salvation Army guy outside the store ringing the bell, but Anna is another story. She prefers being safe and secure in Mommy or Daddy's arms and wants nothing to do with the big jolly guy in red. I wonder what this next baby will be like.

Tigger The Christmas Cat

I've never met a cat that doesn't like laying under the Christmas tree, and our Tigger is no different. He's found his new favorite spot to sleep in the house. What's he going to do when we take down?

And Anna sometimes likes to join him there.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We had a busy couple of days this week. First, we had Noah's Christmas concert with his school. They sang at Barnes and Noble bookstore. Noah was so excited about it and couldn't wait. The kids did a great job singing, but unfortunately it was so crowded in there with all the kids and all their parents, I couldn't even see Noah. He had fun though, so that's all that matters, and Arron managed to sneak in between some people and get a couple photos of him.

Noah is at the bottom middle of this picture wearing a red vest.

Noah singing


Next we spent an evening decorating a gingerbread house. It was the first time we ever did this, and we all enjoyed helping with it. Noah kept asking all week when we were going to make the gingerbread house. He had a lot of fun and found out he likes gumdrops too. Anna was a little difficult to keep happy during this project because she kept wanting to eat all the candy for the gingerbread house and would get mad when we wouldn't let her. She managed to help put a few pieces of candy on the house though, but I think she ended up taking off more pieces than she put on.

Concentrating very hard decorating the gingerbread house.

Anna helping too.

Anna waiting for an oppurtunity to steal a piece of candy to eat.

I'm not sure if she's putting candy on in this picture or taking it off to eat.

The finished gingerbread house.

And one other thing we did was go to the Christmas parade. My aunt and uncle were in town too so we all went together to the parade. Daddy had to work the parade, but we still got to see him quite a bit during it. Noah loved waving to all the people on the floats that went by, and then gathering up all the candy he could get when they threw it. He loved that. It was like halloween again except you don't have to walk all over the neighborhood to get candy, they just ride by and throw it at you. I think we ended up with just as much candy from the parade as we did going trick or treating. I wasn't sure if Anna would enjoy the parade or get fussy and want to run all over the place, but she ended up being quite happy sitting in her red wagon waving to all the people that went by as well. So we were all able to have a good time and enjoy ourselves at the parade.

Noah waiting for the parade to start.

Waving to everyone that went by.

Anna even started to wave to everyone that went by.

Anna and Noah having fun at the parade.

Anna waving to Santa.

Noah waving to Santa.