Christmas

Christmas eve we invited a couple over to celebrate with us. Their grandkids all live in another state, and they really seem to enjoy Matthew, Melissa, and Isaac. In fact they have kind of adopted them as surrogate grandkids. This is just as well since dinner was...boisterous. After dinner some of us settled down to read the Christmas story in Luke. Others were more interested in the ornaments on the tree and climbing on top of people. Not the most reverent rendition of Christ's birth, but ya do what ya gotta do when you have toddlers. After that we drank the best hot chocolate ever (which they don't sell here in Texas) while watching a short version of the nativity and listening to carols.

As is tradition, the kids get to open on package on Christmas eve right before bedtime. The gift is always new pajamas and a stuffed toy. Even Isaac was excited about his new stuffed llama, the pajamas, not so much.

We sent them to bed with kisses and dire threats if they woke their parents or baby brother up before dawn.

Christmas morning Isaac let us sleep in until 7:15. We're not sure what time Matthew and Melissa got up, but early enough to have raided their stockings and played with the toys that Santa left unwrapped. They were dancing with excitement and quite impatient.

In the background you can see Melissa's new, pink, and ever so girlish, bike. She loves it.


Matthew's very own copy of StarCraft. Now he can play with his uncles online. He is thrilled.

Melissa's first polly pockets. With all of the tiny accessories, I may live to regret this gift.

Matthew is into cacti lately. He bought one with his own money and wanted another one. I figured he might enjoy growing them from seed even more.

Isaac unwrapping a present from big brother Matthew. He made the wrapping paper himself.

Christmas day was fun. For breakfast the kids requested German Apple Pancakes. In the process of making the pancakes, I discovered that our garbage disposal is even wimpier than I had previously imagined. After three apple peels worth of apples it gave out and clogged the sink but good. I had to take apart the pipes, and part of the disposal to clean it out. Didn't place the bucket quite right and got myself, the cupboard, and the floor very drenched. Okay, so that wasn't the fun part. The pancakes with cream were tasty though.

After breakfast, Matthew and I put together his erector set robot and setup his cacti greenhouse. Melissa took her new bike out for a test ride with Matthew. Isaac went around the house finding candy and leaving wrappers and sticky globs in novel places.

That night Uncle Jeremy, Aunt Andrea, and Gwendolyn joined us for dinner. The Nortons and their two children came as well. Kate Norton was full of interesting stories from Cleveland, and Mike has a wry sense of humor but a very busy work schedule so we haven't been able to have them over sooner. Regrettably I forgot to get pictures.