Christmas fun

Christmas day was wonderful! I mean, it always is, but I've decided it's just a lot more fun as a parent than it even was as a child. There is nothing as fun as watching your kids get excited over the smallest things. I was pretty happy that in the days before Christmas I heard the kiddos mention they wanted at least three things they'd be receiving. And there wasn't a complaint about what wasn't there. That's such a blessing that my kids are grateful for what they have, and not focused on what was missing. (We had no legos this year, and I'm not sure anyone even noticed even though it was the top request. :)

Anyway, here were the big presents for our family:


Becca was especially excited about the ping pong/billiards/air hockey table. She's been wanting air hockey for a long time, and if it weren't for her we definitely wouldn't have gotten it! I'm not sure I want the space taken, but we'll definitely have fun with it.

One of the fun things about kids is that they don't have to finish opening their presents to be completely and utterly happy. Shayla got a new dance outfit and leg warmers and immediately put them on to do a dance for all of us as we opened gifts:


Shayla was in love with the shopping cart she got -- not only is it pink, but it can hold a baby, and the basket can come out and be carried around separately. I bet you've never looked so stylish shopping:


This picture is for Christina. I'm not sure if you can tell whether or not Tyler liked the marshmallow shooter you sent. ;)


Little Austin wasn't too into unwrapping presents this year, but boy did he love sucking on ribbon:


We also had a fun "treat" this year by having my parents here to watch the kiddos open presents. This also meant we got to watch them open theirs:


And good thing Grandpa was here, because he could show Tyler how to do a few tricks with his new yo-yo. After he left Tyler said, "Mom, your dad actually helped me learn something!" Who knew a grandpa could know how to yo-yo! ;)

In any case, it was also fun to watch Austin try to grab the yo-yo from my dad. I only wish our videotape hadn't run out before we got this!


And as tradition calls for, we got a picture of each of us with our loot:







(I loved my newspaper I got from Tyler. He typed it all up and put it together himself. It tells what we do on Christmas and has a place for us to mark the weather for that year's Christmas. What a cute boy!)

One of the gifts (other than the Wii) that the kids have spent the most time on is eggs with dinosaur bones in them that they have to excavate:


Good to know Santa can find good things at the dollar store!!! :)

And Austin loves his ball toy, almost as much as Shayla and Zachary do. ;)


It's kind of sad that we have to wait a whole year for the Christmas season to come again since I love it! But today we'll take down our Christmas decorations and start the countdown. ;) In the meantime, we'll have fun playing our Wii, and I'll continue to beat everyone at "Let's Dance 2" ... much to Becca's surprise. :D