Christmas Loot

This was our first Christmas in a different house. Although the house was different the kids, the traditions and the smiles were all the same!! When we first get up on Christmas morning we ALWAYS read about Jesus' birth from Dad's Bible. Then we light the candles on Jesus' Birthday cake and sing Happy Birthday!! This is by far our kids favorite tradition. Who can argue with chocolate cake for breakfast? Especially chocolate cake in a bowl with some milk poured over the top!!

Then we open our stockings. (Okay I had to add this because the mantel looks unbalanced in the pic. Don't want everyone thinking this is what it actually looked like. You see that spot by the tall snowman?Where that cute picture frame that I got from my S.S. is? You know my tall countdown to Christmas clipboard I made? That is what's supposed to be there. We just took it down to change the day on it. Continue on with your regularly scheduled reading now.)Daddy got a bag of $12.00 coffee from Starbucks!!!! HHHmmmm wonder who bought that for him? Oh yeah he slipped that in there himself.
Mommy got various Bath and Body works stuff.
Isaac got clementines, a gigantic remote (that he CAN'T lose) and a new Webkins.
Maia got a new Webkins and some cool gloves
Asher got a boatload of art supplies.
Then we move on to the tree. We always sit in a circle and open gifts one at a time. Yes it takes forever but it's worth it:)Here is Isaac opening his new Nerf gun. He also got a Nerf game, a mini amp, lots of pajama bottoms and boxers (his faves) , lots of Clone Wars men and a travel DS case.
Here is Maia opening up her very own digital camera!! She also got a Littlest Pet Shop Fitness Center, Blokus, a set of Tiara Club Books, new Jammies and a travel case for her DS.

Last but not least is Asher opening up his Batcave. Man was he excited!!! He also got a set of Wedgits, an easel, GeoTrax airport, Hullaballoo and Batman jammies. He wore the jammies for 2 days straight:)
Andy had a real exciting holiday. He got a programmable coffee maker that holds more than 4 cups!!! And Da Jesus Book...which he was thrilled about.

Notice how he didn't get much? We were supposed to be totally cutting back due to finances. Now do you wanna know what he got me?

In no Particular order

pack of cardstock

pack of paper

another weird scrapbooking thing (I don't know what it is okay?)

A TON of Bath and Body Works stuff ( Sensual Amber, Velvet Tuberose and Black Amethyst)

A case looking thing? huh

An external driver? what the heck am I supposed to do with this?

Oh it goes with THIS MINI LAPTOP!!!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? MY VERY OWN COMPUTER??? With internal wireless Internet. So much for cutting back:)

As if this wasn't enough I also got a WII from my Aunt Jackie! Now she always goes overboard but this was above and beyond even for her. I swear I cried when I opened it. She knew I wanted Wii Fit but that I would NEVER buy the actual Wii system for myself. She said she thought I'd had an especially hard year!! Plus I got the key-utest pair of UGG boots!! They weren't really bought for me but they didn't fit their original giftee ssooooooooo I now have a genuine pair of Australian UGG's. The best part about that is I had been looking at boots for myself for the last couple of months but would NOT spend the money on them. I even made it to the checkout line a couple of times only to turn around and put the oh so desired boots back!! I also got a ton more bath and body works stuff, beautiful jewelry from my mom and some fun decorations and luggage from grandparents. Oh and an Anne Klein wool sweater!! Yep this was my year for sure:) Oh and how could I forget my new KUERIG coffee maker!!! Did I mention this was my year?

The kids also got a new 3 in 1 pool table from my brother Kyle. Not an el cheapo (Andy's word) one but a big sturdy one!! It has ping pong, pool and air hockey. Asher got the coolest stand up cardboard Batman display thingy from my brother Josh. It's bigger than life and Ash loves it. Of course they got clothes and games and space shuttles and Lego's and art kits and jewelry makers....... there is really not enough room to list all their cool stuff. Isaac's fave is a helicopter thing from gma and gpa C. Maia's is her build a bear certificate and her jewelry kits and Asher loves his 35 piece shuttle kit. Our house seriously looked like a toy store vomitted all over it in the days following Christmas!!

Now part of the fun this year was starting new traditions. My Dad got us a motel room so we wouldn't have to make the long trip back home on Christmas night. The kids absolutely loved this. They had so much fun jumping back and forth from bed to bed and just creating complete mayhem until they crashed. And guess what? All of our new stuff didn't fit in our cr-v. Soooo Aunt Jackie had to send us a box in the mail and Kyle borrowed a hhuuuuuugggggeeee truck to bring us the rest. Told ya'll:)

One last note...I'm not completely sure who Andy bought my new mini laptop for. You see I am no longer allowed to so much as look at the regular computer. He is on that thing ALL the time:) Seems to me like he made out in this deal too!!