Is there a more perfect day than Christmas morning, watching kids get their hearts' desire (at least for the moment) and admire one another's gifts; seeing the excitement in their eyes as they give us the things they've picked out or made (that whimsical snowman in the above pic was made by Grace, and both Kate and Em also gave us homemade presents), and then wallowing in candy and books and games and toys (interrupted only by ham consumption) for the rest of the day? If there is, I don't know what that day would look like. See that outfit I'm in? Never got out of it for the rest of the day. Merry Christmas, indeed!
Max got an awesome and HUGE Buzz Lightyear to match the Woody doll he inherited from Grace. It talks. Its wings snap out at the press of a button. Its helmet does that WHOOSH! thing. This is a cool toy!
Scarves. Liked 'em.
Max told everybody who asked that Santa was bringing him a racetrack. Looks like the old guy (or, as he's called on "NCIS," Admiral Whitebeard) delivered.
Pink pig. Pink scarf. Pink jammies and pink Barbie with pink sword and pink skirt that converts into a dashing pink cape. Life is good in Kate World!
Em got a cool patchwork shoulder bag from Aunt Lisa.
Daddy got a book about ... yes, you guessed it. The expression on his face may be due in part to a gentleman's agreement he and I made long before Christmas in which we decided NOT to buy one another any presents, counting the big-screen TV and Blu-Ray player as our Christmas. I almost immediately broke it and bought him presents (from the kids and from "Santa," mostly). The thing he so foolishly forgot is this: I'm not a gentleman. I'm a lady.
The "you weren't supposed to buy me presents" bitterness couldn't hold up long at the sight of a tabletop air hockey table that really works. He played a few games with the kids and, as a result, decided the game would be safer at work.
Unlike most little boys, Max likes getting clothes. He called these "big big-boy pants."
Kate hugs Grace to thank her for the Disney princess Polly Pocket set, a gift from Grace and Max.
Boy, do Grammy and Ba know Gracie. One of their gifts to her was a super-soft and velvety velour outfit with a satin-lined hood on the jacket.
Grammy and Ba gave Max (among other things) a little bucket of rubber bugs. I keep finding them in the plants.
Fancy Nancy is one of Kate's favorites; here's her "splendiferous" Christmas story, a gift from GG&G Kratz.
Grace got a Tinkerbell doll, which is no big surprise. What's great about this one is that it has a fabric body, so it's SOFT!
I like the look of gleeful anticipation they have as they open gifts ... this one turned out to be paintable Pixie Hollow figurines from the Thomases.
Emma gasps as she opens that big box to find ...
... a really big E!
Aunt Jen, Uncle Brad and cousins gave Max a "rotten." Don't they both have adorable faces?
Settin' up the racetrack. It really is pretty darn cool. I have often observed that boys seem to have the coolest toys. Is that just a reflection of my personality, or is it true?
Greg makes a grimacing, two-finger effort in a game of "Hungry Hungry Hippos" with the girls. Turns out Grace is an ace at this game. Characteristically, she bides her time and watches for the marbles that she CAN get, then gulps 'em down lightning-quick.
Max was very psyched to get four "Cha-Chow" sippy cups. He carried them around for the rest of the day and, by Christmas night, had drunk from at least three of them.
The unstoppable duo of Woody and Buzz Lightyear! We wrote "MAX" on their shoes with Sharpies.
Daddy enjoying his favorite part of Christmas festivities ... funeral potatoes, Jell-O salad, big frosty Coke and ALL THE HAM YOU CAN EAT! Actually, I don't mind that part much myself ...
Is there a more perfect day than Christmas morning, watching kids get their hearts' desire (at least for the moment) and admire one another's gifts; seeing the excitement in their eyes as they give us the things they've picked out or made (that whimsical snowman in the above pic was made by Grace, and both Kate and Em also gave us homemade presents), and then wallowing in candy and books and games and toys (interrupted only by ham consumption) for the rest of the day? If there is, I don't know what that day would look like. See that outfit I'm in? Never got out of it for the rest of the day. Merry Christmas, indeed!
Max got an awesome and HUGE Buzz Lightyear to match the Woody doll he inherited from Grace. It talks. Its wings snap out at the press of a button. Its helmet does that WHOOSH! thing. This is a cool toy!
Scarves. Liked 'em.
Max told everybody who asked that Santa was bringing him a racetrack. Looks like the old guy (or, as he's called on "NCIS," Admiral Whitebeard) delivered.
Pink pig. Pink scarf. Pink jammies and pink Barbie with pink sword and pink skirt that converts into a dashing pink cape. Life is good in Kate World!
Em got a cool patchwork shoulder bag from Aunt Lisa.
Daddy got a book about ... yes, you guessed it. The expression on his face may be due in part to a gentleman's agreement he and I made long before Christmas in which we decided NOT to buy one another any presents, counting the big-screen TV and Blu-Ray player as our Christmas. I almost immediately broke it and bought him presents (from the kids and from "Santa," mostly). The thing he so foolishly forgot is this: I'm not a gentleman. I'm a lady.
The "you weren't supposed to buy me presents" bitterness couldn't hold up long at the sight of a tabletop air hockey table that really works. He played a few games with the kids and, as a result, decided the game would be safer at work.
Unlike most little boys, Max likes getting clothes. He called these "big big-boy pants."
Kate hugs Grace to thank her for the Disney princess Polly Pocket set, a gift from Grace and Max.
Boy, do Grammy and Ba know Gracie. One of their gifts to her was a super-soft and velvety velour outfit with a satin-lined hood on the jacket.
Grammy and Ba gave Max (among other things) a little bucket of rubber bugs. I keep finding them in the plants.
Fancy Nancy is one of Kate's favorites; here's her "splendiferous" Christmas story, a gift from GG&G Kratz.
Grace got a Tinkerbell doll, which is no big surprise. What's great about this one is that it has a fabric body, so it's SOFT!
I like the look of gleeful anticipation they have as they open gifts ... this one turned out to be paintable Pixie Hollow figurines from the Thomases.
Emma gasps as she opens that big box to find ...
... a really big E!
Aunt Jen, Uncle Brad and cousins gave Max a "rotten." Don't they both have adorable faces?
Settin' up the racetrack. It really is pretty darn cool. I have often observed that boys seem to have the coolest toys. Is that just a reflection of my personality, or is it true?
Greg makes a grimacing, two-finger effort in a game of "Hungry Hungry Hippos" with the girls. Turns out Grace is an ace at this game. Characteristically, she bides her time and watches for the marbles that she CAN get, then gulps 'em down lightning-quick.
Max was very psyched to get four "Cha-Chow" sippy cups. He carried them around for the rest of the day and, by Christmas night, had drunk from at least three of them.
The unstoppable duo of Woody and Buzz Lightyear! We wrote "MAX" on their shoes with Sharpies.
Daddy enjoying his favorite part of Christmas festivities ... funeral potatoes, Jell-O salad, big frosty Coke and ALL THE HAM YOU CAN EAT! Actually, I don't mind that part much myself ...
2 comments:
That looks awesome!! What a fun time of year. i am so glad that you took the time to put up some of the presents because it always is interesting to see what anyone gets especially kids :)
One more thing, I do think it is great that you broke the agreement. I vow to never make that agreement... from witnessing my parents make it a many a years and it sucked so I always say why not it only comes once a year and you only live once, lol. We do switch off unknowingly - big one year then small the next. I think it is because one of us does something more awesome so the next year it switches, a person can't be outdone. I think that would be a little bit of our competitive nature. Who loves who more?? (i'm totally kidding by the way)
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