"On Christmas day in the morning..."

I love how the tree looks with all the presents under it before things start to get pulled out and unwrapped. I set my alarm for 6 a.m. so I could come down and turn on the tree lights. I like them to be on when the kids get their first look at what Santa left. Junior came into my room at 7:30-ish with a story about how he had seen Santa and his sleigh and had waved to them from the window (sounds a lot like 'The Night Before Christmas' poem we read the night before, but whatever!) I asked him if Santa had made it and he was excited that he had. I geared myself to climb out of bed but accidently fell back to sleep while my obedient Junior went back to his own room and whispered with Bubba until the baby called for me. I guess I forgot to tell him that the 'don't wake up mom until it is light outside' stricture doesn't apply on Christmas morning. Poor kid! :-)

Pringles are an old tradition and the boys are always thrilled to get their own personal cans in their stockings.

Everything they pulled out of their stockings was declared to be "exactly what I wanted" and they wanted to know how Santa knew that. He just does...

Sis had a few presents to open but she was mostly just in heaven with all the crinkly wrapping paper lying around just waiting to be chewed on (also, she puked all over her new pajamas top, so I am really glad I did the stairs picture the night before.) Incidentally, isn't she just gorgeous? I am still trying to figure out how I got such knock out kids!

Sis's favorite gift

Bubba was not excited by his skateboard at all! :-)

He still can't move much on it, but does a lot of posing on it. I guess the actual moving can come later.

J came over for lunch in the early afternoon and played with the kids and their toys while I took a much needed nap! We opened family presents and I scored some pajamas from Bubba and an ipod from Junior (via J). Junior got J a whoopie cushion.

Sis was thrilled by all the Christmas boxes and wrapping paper detritus left over from the day. She has never had so many obstacles in the front room before. She is really starting to move.

Bubba in his woody costume (a clearance item after Halloween. When I put it on him and the outfit was sized for a 7 year old and the hat and boots for a 2 year old, the $3 price tag made more sense. He didn't seem to mind though.)

Junior's favorite gift by far was a Martian Matter set. I now have a collection of lovingly made little aliens on my computer. Each one was made just for me. Who needs jewelry, right?

Merry Christmas!