A Holly, Jolly Christmas

Christmas Eve is always special at our house. We spent the day at home with just our family; played board games, put puzzles together, went for a bike ride, and baked cookies for Santa. After dinner, Dan and I managed to get two very excited children into the car for a drive around town to ooh and ahh over the Christmas lights. Of course, the kids acted like it was pure torture to look at lights - they would have preferred to be home opening presents. But they survived, and we arrived home, bursting with excitement and ready to open family presents.

Alice informed me months ago that if she received clothes for Christmas, she was going to cry. As it turns out, monkey PJs are okay. She loved them.

And slippers are okay too! I love her enthusiasm for gifts.

Woo hoo! Henry was thrilled to get a 6 month membership to Club Penguin.

But "thrilled" can not describe what Alice felt when she opened her scooter from Grandma and Grandpa. She was over the top!

Henry got a new scooter too - a very cool "pro" model. You know, like the kind a teenager would have. Very cool.

But Nerf guns are the best.

There's nothing like the joy in my daughter's eyes to make me feel like a kid again. I love Christmas.

Henry and Dan are happily playing a new Wii game. Alice is diligently recording her first entry in her new diary (the kind with a lock!). Tomorrow, we'll have great fun digging in to all the other cool toys and games.

We were spoiled by our family and received so many wonderful gifts. Thank you, everyone. We love you and wish you a Holly, Jolly Christmas.

Now it's off to bed in anticipation of Santa's visit and all the joy that will bring in the morning. Merry Christmas!