Christmas in California: Christmas Day

Christmas Morning!  Wow, how do parents do this?  Staying up to party on Christmas Eve, then staying up later, then staying up even later, and then not sleeping because small children are having trouble sleeping, and then getting up at the butt crack of dawn to have another loooong day full of fun... It's exhausting!

But here we are! It looks like Santa made it after-all. The adult sockings lined one banister...

... and the grandkids stockings lined the other.

And look!  Here are 2 more that Grandma and Aunt Amber worked on until... um... mere hours before Christmas?  Let's just say we didn't see much of them until Christmas day.  It was a Christmas miracle!  :)

When everyone was up and gathered back at Melanie's we let the kids give out the ornaments that they made this year.  Decorated snowflakes with a family picture in the middle.

After looking in their stockings, the kids got to exchange gifts that they picked out for each other.  All legos... Surprised?

Jaden had Brynnlee's name and after just a little bit of convincing, he decided against the legos and chose something that wasn't a choking hazzard.

He picked out 2 little outfits for her.

Brynnlee also got some awesome wrapping paper.  Best gift of all.

I made Zoe some headbands... hopefully she is a little more cooperative with wearing them, then Brynnlee is these days.  Darn it.

I was in a crazy mood one night, and decided to whip out the sewing machine and make Brynnlee a blanket for Christmas. 

Considering that I hate to sew, and I can barely thread a needle, I was just as surprised by the outcome as you!

Charles is the seamstress in our family, but he was out of town so I really was on my own.  I just needed my friend to come over one time and remind me how to thread the bobbin.  I had it finished by the time Charles came home.

What can I say, sometimes I shock and amaze even myself.  :)

Each Christmas we put together a book of pictures for the year to send to each Great-Grandpa. It was fun to get to see one be opened.  :)

Kaleb and Jaden got snow shovels a couple Christmases ago, that they use to help Charles shovel the driveway.  Now Bradley can join the fun.

"I think Santa may have overpaid for my dress."

The boys also have scooters that they ride every chance they get.  Now Bradley does too.

You can be a winner at the game of LIFE!  Look!  I got a wife!

This was our Black Friday purchase.  Charles braved the stores... for this.

Melanie and John had our family for gifts this year.  Here's the kids opening their loot.  Thanks Mel and John!

I gave Charles the 12 Dates of Christmas.  We have 12 dates preplanned and paid for, and babysitting arranged.  This will be our year to have some fun.  :)

Charles' Aunt Shel surprised each of the kids with their own Christmas book.  And not just any Christmas book, but one that she recorded herself reading.  The boys love to open their closet door for light at night and then lay down and listen to their Aunt Shel read them a story.  And since there are 4, they take turns and listen to them all.  Thanks Aunt Shel!

And here we come to the anticipated Santa gifts...

No, Santa did NOT get Bradley more magnet blocks...  As you can see he got something even better.  A sheet a bubble wrap.  Another one of Bradley's favorite things.  Oh don't mind the "most sought after children's toy of the year" lying right there.  I'm sure Santa had a heck of a time getting his hands on one, but that really doesn't matter when you have bubble wrap!

Did Kaleb get what he asked for?

Did Jaden?

One of the gifts that all the grandkids received from their Grandparents was a knitted sweateer with a hat to match.  Here is a picture of my kids wearing theirs.  Unfortunately we never got a shot of all 8 kids in them.  Thanks Grandma!  I think Kaleb loves his sweater the most, they are camo colors for one, and he has even asked to wear it to school. Jaden like to wear his hat around the house.

Poor Brynnlee was so tired...

After the presents, Bradley went out to test out his new wheels.  His cousin Forrest was a great coach. :)

I can't believe I don't have picture of the Christmas dinner.  It was Spaghetti with meatballs and pepperoni and sausage, and it was... amazing.

Bradley zonked out and Charles had a tough time trying to wake him up.  Heck no, was he gonna take a long nap and then keep us up all night!

Flying with uncle Forrest...

Uncle John playing cowgirl with Zoe.  :)

Right before bedtime, Kaleb and Bradley had a pretty serious game of cards going on.  They couldn't play without their can of soda.