The First Snow

We have had a couple small snow showers this year, but by lunchtime, it's melted. Yesterday was the first day that a little snow remained on the ground. It was only a centimeter, but enough for the girls to get excited over.

Our Christmas: The Recovery

We were exhausted after our hectic Christmas Day, so we spent the whole weekend in recovery mode.

We spent a lot of time on the couch.

Joe spent a lot of time playing Modern Warfare 2.

We spent a lot of time being silly.

And laughing.

Like I said, a LOT of time being silly.

We spent a lot of time playing with our new toys.

Still being silly.

We also attempted to work off some of those Christmas calories, although I think I've made up for it with leftover banana bread and cookies. And those two bags of caramel filled Hershey's Kisses that were on sale yesterday.

This concludes our 2009 Christmas. We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Our Christmas: Visiting Family, Round Two

After we visit with my family, we go to Joe's dad's house for dinner and to exchange gifts there. His dad recently moved to a new house, which is about 45 minutes away, so it was kind of an experiment this year to see if we could fit it in. We were pretty tired already by the time we got there, but we had a good time and I think we may be able to make it work in the years to come.

They got lots of Thomas the Train stuff to add to their tracks that they got from Santa.

Joe's sister Nicole and Xavier.



Grandma opening the comfy pants and socks we got her.

Joe's dad opening his weather alert system we got for him. We figured he could use one since he lives in the middle of nowhere now.

Xavier was a bit hesitant on the gift opening, so Camryn helped.

The girls got fun scarfs from Nicole.

Summer was walking around asking everyone, "Do you love my long, blue hair?"

Joe's grandma got him some Twizzlers and a giant Hershey bar, so he would stop stealing hers every time he comes over.



Camryn got some new gloves from her Aunt Jessica. I can't put into words how much this kid loves gloves. She improvises with socks most of the time.

Joe Sr. and Jessica.

Our Christmas: Visiting Family, Round One

Every year my mom's side of the family gathers at my aunt Susan and uncle Paul's house for a big lunch and to exchange gifts. The kids draw names to exchange gifts, and the adult women and adult men each bring one gift to exchange. It works out well.



My mom got stuck opening Baby Belle, who was in a straightjacket of ridiculous amounts of those stupid twist ties.

They got their very first tea set!

Summer was already so exhausted, she was in a daze on my lap.



Crazy uncle Wes.

All the cousins. Top: Nathan, Wes, Me. Bottom: Andrea, Camryn, Katherine, Summer, Libby, Richard. Lovely bunch we are.

Our Christmas: The Morning Tradition

Christmas morning, after we see what Santa brought us and spend some time at home, we go to my parents house. Every year, my mom makes a delicious breakfast casserole and we sit around and fill up after opening presents. This year, my uncle Jimmy joined us as well.

The girls loved the Disney princess cups they got from my brother.

Summer and Camryn sitting with their Grandpa and showing their gifts off to their Uncle Jim.

We got my brother a laptop desk thing.

They each got a got a Strawberry Shortcake doll from my parents.

My mom got a rice cooker that she had been wanting for a long time.

Joe and I got great gifts. I got some really nice sweaters that I have been wanting, and Joe got Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. (He's already beaten it!)

We had to rest up for the rest of our hectic day.

Our Christmas: A Visit From Santa

Our Christmas morning started at 6:20am. Camryn wet the bed a bit and had to get up and be changed, which woke her up fully and then Summer woke up. All I could do was move as slowly as possible and then woke Joe up right at 7. He went in to the living room first to light the fire. He came back and I went in with the video camera so I could catch their reactions.

They walked in slowly, and froze in shock when they entered the living room. Santa had left a pile of presents by the tree, and two Thomas train sets were on the floor. They had both insisted for weeks that all they wanted were trains.

They got excited quickly and starter opening their presents. Santa even brought gifts for Harley and Jack.

They got all kinds of things. The train sets, walkie-talkies, Tinkerbell barbies, princess purses...

Summer got the Tinkerbell movie that she told Santa she wanted when she saw him a few weeks ago.

It was a really nice, relaxing Christmas morning. The girls took their time with their gifts, and got so excited over each one.

Their stockings were a hit. They got mini-slinkies, toy cell phones, and some jewelry, among other things.

They loved that we let them eat the candy and animal crackers from their stocking before breakfast.

Slinkies were a new thing for them.

The Mommy on Christmas morning without make-up picture.

Jack enjoyed the wrapping paper quite a bit.

Stay tuned for the rest of our Christmas Day adventures! We did so much and took so many pictures, I'm having to break the posts up. I'm going to try to get them all done tomorrow.
I hope your Christmas/holiday/weekend was as lovely as mine!