Crow Christmas 2012

We have wrapped up our Christmas celebrations for the year - much to my dismay.   I hate it every year when the festivities are over and the decorations are set to come down.   And this year it was cut even shorter with the threat of bad weather moving in.  

We had a very nice time at my parents' house.  We went down on Sunday evening.   We got up on Monday and went to visit my grandmothers after a big late breakfast.    Monday was so pretty that the kids and the big boys played outside most of the afternoon.   Once Harrison woke up from his nap, the kids opened their presents from Nanny and Papa.

As you can see, Harrison hadn't been up long.

Harrison got an ambulance, and he loves it.   It lights up, makes noises, and the doors open and close with a touch of a button.   A little boy's dream.

Then we ate dinner and loaded up to go to the Christmas Eve service at mom and dad's church.   Once we got home from there, the kids took their baths and opened presents from the cousins.   

Jared really likes the show NCIS, so he got this cool sweatshirt.   Sophie is giving me a big grin in the background.

Not sure what Harrison is doing here.   Is he bored?   Is he tired?   Is he just getting comfortable?   Who knows?

 We got Keely the Bop It game.   She was pretty happy.

No one shows excitement like Sophie.   She got this journal thing that is voice protected and has invisible ink with a special light.   She was giddy.

 All the babies after the presents have been opened.

We read Twas the Night Before Christmas and the kiddos went to watch a movie.   About 10:30, everyone went to bed, and we got up the next morning to this...

 But of course we have to wait on every one to get into the living room.

 So we wait...

 And wait...

 Waiting but maybe a little confused about what is actually happening.

My mean children.   One has refused to share - as he has just snatched back his ambulance from his sister.   So she pretends to shoot me (she was kidding, he was not).

 I believe Matt has just called Nathan the unabomber.  

Nate was very excited to be up this early.   Harrison woke up around 5 singing, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" so our original 6:30 wake up time got moved up a little bit.   It was a few minutes after 6 at this point.

 We love our candy!

 Waiting for the go ahead to move from stockings to presents.    Nathan still trying to sleep.

 Jillian got the 8 movie series of Harry Potter.  She was thrilled.

The reason you don't see any pictures of Harrison opening presents was because he was very distracted.   Here he is laying in the floor playing with the zipper on Mandy's pants.   He also required a lot of help opening, so I really couldn't take pictures and help at the same time.

 Nanny and Papa seeing what was in their stockings.

And later on Harrison found this hat from my working at church camp days.   You can also see Jillian's new vortex glitter lava lamp in the background.  

And now for normal life.   I am trying to decide when to see Les Mis.   And when to take down my Christmas decorations.   I have a few other little things to take care before I return to work on the 2nd.   I am sure the next few days will go by ridiculously fast and we'll be back to the real world long before I am ready.

Hope your Christmas day was blessed and happy.