Christmas 2010... a white Christmas.

It is still hard for me to believe this Christmas is already over. It went by so quickly!! We've spent most of the day today and yesterday clearing out old toys and making room for the new ones. That's always a job. This Christmas was super busy as we spent lots of time with family and friends.

On Christmas Eve we went to the Children's Mass at St. Luke. We got to church a half hour early and the place was already packed! We sat in two folding chairs at the front of church. Emma sat in my lap and Luke was in Andy's. During this Mass, Father Bush always has all the children come up to the front of the church and he read them a story about Christmas. This year was the first year that Emma got to go up with Luke and listen to the story. She sat very well with Luke and listened to Father Bush. Then Father Bush gave them all a snow globe with the nativity scene inside. The kids just loved it. Here's a couple pictures of us before church.


After church, we headed over to Aunt Terry's house. We had a wonderful dinner which included Terry's cheesy potatoes which are my very favorite. We had a smaller than usual crowd at Terry's house this year as many kiddos were sick. After we opened a few presents, the kiddos wanted to watch a movie. Emma chose Sleeping Beauty.
Here are the three cousins under a table, pretending it was a tent, watching a movie. :)

After Terry's we came home and made cookies for Santa Claus. Here are the kiddos leaving out cookies for Santa. Also, we always leave something for Rudolph too. We figure he's doing as much work as Santa, right? :)
Christmas morning, Luke was so excited about his new real camera. He is a little shutterbug just like his mama. I think he took over 300 pictures on Christmas Day. He also got an iXL, which he loves and has already worn out a set of batteries while playing it! Santa also made Luke a chair for his art desk and left him lots of new art supplies!
Emma got a little pink chair for her room, a camera and the Baby All Gone she wanted from Santa. She was so excited on Christmas morning. Andy went in her room to wake her up and she ran out of her room to see what Santa had left for her.
Emma got to put baby Jesus in the manager on this Christmas morning.

Andy always likes to read the Christmas story from Luke's gospel on Christmas morning. You can tell how well the kiddos paid attention this year!!

Granny and Papa Johns came over Christmas morning to check out all the kids new stuff. The kiddos were so excited to show them all there new toys! I am so glad they stopped by!
After Granny and Papa stopped by, we headed to Yaya and Grandpa's house for brunch. My parents had a wonderful meal ready for us when we arrived.... bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits, hasbrown casserole, and cheesy grits. It was wonderful.
After our brunch the kiddos got to open all their presents. I love watching the kids open presents. There is so much sheer joy on their faces when they open each gift. It is so much fun!



Santa Claus delivered a package to Yaya and Grandpa's house and it had a pillow pet for each grandchild. Whoever came up with the idea for the pillow pet is a genius and a billionaire I am sure. I think every kid I know got one for Christmas. In every Christmas picture on Facebook there is a pillow pet. My kids love their pets.
I really wanted to get outside and get a family picture in the snow. This was our first white Christmas in 11 years and of course it was both Luke and Emma's first white Christmas, so I needed a picture of it! :)
After we all rested a little while, it was time for Christmas Round 2. My extended family, aunts, uncles, cousins came over for Christmas dinner. Then we played games and opened presents. It was a fun night.
Emma and Luke started playing the music on Luke's iXl and put on a dance show for us! It was pretty cute!
Here are a few pictures from the church the day after Christmas. Luke wanted a picture with the poinsettias.
At the Nativity scene outside of church, Emma stopped to clean the snow off Baby Jesus.
We had a wonderful Christmas... and a white one... which was a bonus. I still can't believe it's over though. Hope everyone had a great Christmas!