Christmas Morning

Happy Pappy displaying his Christmas present - a star with his children's names etched on the points

Lovey showing his new headphones. He wanted the kind that are "Noise Cancelling"

Are we that loud? :)

Mary-Gail, one of the two designated present openers

Rebecca opening her new toothbrush & toothpaste

(she & Mary-Gail LOVE to brush their teeth!)

Awwww! So cute!

Mary-Gail opening her present from Grandma Gail in Charleston, South Carolina

Rebecca, a little side-tracked from opening presents, began playing the piano

I showed Mary-Gail ONCE how to squeeze Rudolph's ear to start the music and flashing of his nose, and she did it herself thereafter

Instant love!

Rebecca is wondering about the flashing nose, while Mary-Gail proudly shows Happy her new toy

Lovey opened his present from his Mom & Dad - new scrapbook pages!

These was my favorite present, although it was for Tony: I love seeing pictures of Tony when he was growing up and pictures of him with his kids; Rebecca looks just like Tony did as a child and she looks just like Tony's daughter, Ali!

Mary-Gail is in heaven with Rudolph. She emptied the box that Grandma & Grandpa mailed their gifts in and sat inside with her Tick-ah and her new toy!

Love that flashing nose! Rebecca showing Happy all the people in the scrapbook pictures from Grandma Gail. See my gift from Gail? The pull-a-part cupcake train mold. Can't wait to use it!

Lovey's favorite present: a fleece-tied, army-camouflage blanket from me

(He's wanted one forever!)

Emptying my "Survival" Nalgene bottle

Like little Raccoon's: once they have something in their grasp, they won't let go of it (even if their hand is stuck, such as Rebecca's is)

Mary-Gail, tight-rope walking on Happy's laptop cord

Oh, the joy of Christmas morning with little ones! They surprised us by sleeping until 7:45am!! Crazy too, because I was up at 6 am wondering if I should wake them up or not. Happy came over and we baked orange rolls with yummy orange-cream frosting. Lovey had orange juice with his, and Happy had a glass of milk with his. The girls ate off of Happy's plate (so cute!) and me...I was completely happy to have my girls, my husband, and my Dad at home with me. My house felt full of love, full of warmth, full of peace.

Happy started us off by opening his present - a 6-pointed star I had my friend, Ashley Knudsen, make. Each point has the name of one of his 6 children, and the center circle has the year. I hope he liked it. I kept thinking the girls were going to give the surprise away because they kept saying, "Star. Happy's Star. Star."

Miguel & Becca Boo-Boo were the designated present openers, which was the prefect job for them. They enjoyed tearing the wrapping paper into the teeniest, tiniest, microscopic pieces, and then moving on to the next wrapped gift. They got distracted a couple times - Becca started playing the piano, and Miguel started to undress the Christmas tree. No worries! The presents from Grandma & Grandpa Kemp in Charleston got them right back on track. (See pictures above). Lovey and I decided we would give Rebecca & Mary-Gail a couple presents each, plus some stocking stuffers. (One of the presents, the Fisher Price Twin Dolls, was a present I bought last year on Black Friday and saved it until this year). We just didn't want, and don't want, them

to expect so much on Christmas.

Christmas 2008 was another wonderful day, season, time for our family. We hope everyone else had a blessed day and was able to spend it with those they love. Merry Christmas!

P.S. The pink bag on the Christmas tree had a "little number" in it from Tony. Baby-sitter, anyone? We need a baby-sitter!