Christmas Day 2008

This year Ryan and I decided to give back to a needy family so luckily our church was having a program where you choose a family off a tree called Angel Ministries and they get a complete Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings. We had the girls choose the families name and we turned in our donation. My girlfriends in my Bible group also choose a family to sponsor for the Angel Ministries. It was an excellent way to show our girls the meaning of giving back instead of always receiving.
On Christmas Eve morning, Maci had come down with a fever but Motrin was our saving grace to keep her feeling well enough to open gifts, play and enjoy our favorite day. Ryan's Aunt calls it "purple haze" so we are always kidding about giving our kids the "purple haze" (for plane rides, etc).
Christmas Day was perfect. It was the most relaxing Christmas we have had in years. I want to bottle up our girls age-6 and 8 it is such a great age, they have been so much fun (that is another blog). Back to Christmas Morning.
Our Traditions:
1.We always open our stockings first. Stockings were huge when I was growing up so I had to continue it even though the weren't as big in Ryan's family. I love all the little things you can put in them.
2. Ryan and I also stuff each other stockings. He does a really good job.
3. Then Present time, I am anal about the present opening. Mainly because you spend so much time shopping and money that it is over soooo quick. So, the girls each open one gift at a time and watch each other. It is nice and relaxing this way as well. You can ask my brothers and sisters and I was one of those slow gift openers and always was the last with gifts still to open. I didn't want it to be over.
4. The girls had a blast. They had several nice gifts from Santa, Grandparents' and Aunts and Uncles. Here are some of the ones I can remember:
They both got: a Wii and a Karoke machine
Madison:
MP3 Player, Electric Scooter, 3 Movies, High School Musical Monopoly, Trouble, clothes, PJ's, earrings, journal, monogrammed "M" necklace, digital camera with case, monogrammed blanket,
book set, American Girl Doll books,
Maci:
Twin Babies (with stroller, high chairs and swings), Baby doll clothes, W-mart Grocery cart with fake food, a beautiful girly wood kitchen, pots and pans, movies, monogrammed blanket, etc.
After the 15 minutes it took to open the gifts (such a short time for so much planning). We always fix pancakes and sausage. Of course, my favorite "Santas White Christmas" coffee.
After Breakfast, we headed off to my Mom and Dad's house. It is always great to go over and see everyone together. We had a wonderful Christmas lunch. The kids could hardly wait to open gifts so, we began and it is a tradition that everyone sits around and my Dad is Santa and passes out all the gifts. It is so exciting to watch the kids open the gifts.
After, we played games and had dessert. My Mom made the best homemade carmael pumpkin pie. (not sure why this is underlined-if you know, post me)

Our Christmas Eve Tradition...We buy the girls PJ's and they open them on Christmas Eve. Now that they are older they know what that gift is before the open it. Daddy picked these cute christmas tree PJ's in bright pink and green.

Sound asleep...so cute on the coach after a long day.

Maci with her rosy cheeks was sick but her stocking made her smile.



Madison with her stocking that she has had since she was born.



Look, sissy I got connect four!

My favorite...twin babies

Maci's gift for us that she made at school (the best gifts of all).

Madison made a dvd with her talking about the pictures from throughout third grade.

My stocking...Ryan ad I purchased these the year we got married.

Presents...by our small tree

Maci with her twins shopping at Walmart.

Madi loves to help in the kitchen. Here she is makiing our pancakes.

The crew at my parent's house playing Wii.

Maci waiting patiently at Granny's to open gifts.

Us girls ready to go out on Christmas day!