Christmas 2017

You know what's awesome about having older children at Christmas? They sleep in until almost 10 a.m. so you can get some rest after being awake until almost 2 a.m. because you were up playing Santa. Somebody has to eat those cookies after all! 



We had a little breakfast and then the girls and I emptied our stockings. In the absence of their father, Emily and Abigial took on the task of finding surprises for mine. They maybe went a little overboard because they bought so many things they had to hang up a gift bag filled with things for me in addition to my stocking. We planned to have Jared there with us via FaceTime while we opened presents so we connected the computer to the television. It was a different way to do Christmas morning, but at least we were kind of all together, right?


We continuted our Christmas morning tradition of hiding an ornament shaped like a pickle on the tree. In our house, the child who finds the pickle gets to open the first gift on Christmas morning. This year Emily had the sharpest eyes and found it nestled among the branches near the top of the tree.

Opening presents in our house takes a little while since we have the girls take turns as they open gifts so it's one girl opening a present at a time.  And we usually try to clean up the wrapping paper as we go because it makes for nicer looking photos at the end of the day.  I'm a little weird like that. It's not usually a big deal because what else do we really have to do on Christmas Day? This year I felt bad for poor Jared who was stuck watching the sometimes boring action on his phone for over an hour. Plus it had to have been difficult for him to even know when we were talking to him or just talking to each other. But he's a good dad who puts up with a lot for his girls.

Can you believe she let Abigail read this first since we won't have a copy here after she goes back to school?
The Lego ski chalet was built before the day was over because she's a master builder.
Abigail helped me keep things orderly on Christmas. Collecting wrapping paper, making sure everyone had a present to open when it was their turn, and adjusting the computer camera so Jared could see what was happening. 

Christmas morning with dad!
Every year there is at least one kid entirely under the tree searching for more presents. This year it was Natalie!

Slytherin and proud!
These two got me a beautiful teapot so I can enjoy my favorite fruity teas at home.
Abigail knows what I love - fabric!
Madison brought me some fantastic music to make our Sunday mornings a little more beautiful.

PRETZEL M&MS!!!!! We can't get them here and we love love love them. Thanks Ben and Sarina!
I was worried that Christmas would be a kind of sad because we weren't all together, but in the end it wasn't sad at all. We spent our day together, shared dinner with good friends, and talked with most of our extended family. Christmas is a time for love, for family, for happiness and our Christmas day was certainly filled with all that and more.

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