Christmas part 1

We celebrated Christmas day on Christmas Eve this year.  We were planning on going to Tyler to visit my family on Christmas day, so we bumped Christmas a day and it turned out great.  Santa was good to us this year.  I have to say one of the funnest parts of being a parent is Christmas Eve.  I love it...I love every single last detail about Christmas Eve.  Everything you have been saving for, buying, hiding, ALL gets to come out in full display.  Matt and I have such a great time on Christmas Eve.  We get into each and every detail.  We put on a good Christmas movie (this year was my favorite that I watch over and over, The Holiday), and we get busy.  The excitement and anticipation of Christmas morning is just as fun for the parents as it is the kids---if not more so.

The lighting is so off in my pictures because there was ZERO natural light, but oh well.  This year what Hudson wanted for Christmas was a Ranger's jersey, Spurs jersey, flag tag football equipment, and Under Armour 'stuff'.  Harper wanted a playhouse like on the Disney TV show Doc McStuffins.  Since we aren't planning on living here in this house much longer, we did not want to purchase a playhouse for outside, so we opted for a tent.  It even has a doggy door which she loves.  Holton is big into trains, so when I saw this motorized train at Toys R Us, I knew I had won the golden ticket.  Here's what a great mom I am...I was laying in bed days before Christmas going over one of my many lists.  I had all my shopping done and was feeling good.  It was then that I realized that I had not bought a.single.gift.for.Hayes...nada.  I mean really the sweet thing didn't need a thing, but it was more so the kids wouldn't think that Hayes was forgotten.  So 2 days before Christmas I went back to Target to shop for my 4th love.  He got a pair of pjs, a few balls, and diaper bag toy type things.  The big surprise Christmas was the yellow Hummer for the kids.  It was a gift for all 4 of them.  A little girl down our street has a pink Barbie Jeep and my kids love to drive it all around our culdesac.  Even Hudson could careless it's pink.  It's just fun to drive.  So Matt and I decided to go for it...no one even thought to ask Santa for it, so it was a fun surprise to everyone.

 We taped toilet paper to Hudson and Harper's doors telling them they could not come out until we said.  Christmas eve Hudson was saying it was time for bed much earlier than we would have made them go.  They were so excited that they just wanted to go to bed NOW.  We taped up the toilet paper saying that this is how we'll know if they stayed in their rooms like we told them too.  They obeyed and waited so patiently while Matt and I got the lamps on, Christmas music playing, and our coffee ready.  They couldn't wait to bust thru.  It was really fun and just added to their excitement because Matt and I were building it up big time.

 Finally everyone was down stairs and the joy was precious.  Everyone was so excited.  The kids were thrilled with their gifts and we were so happy to see them so excited.

Harper has a little table and chairs in her house.  She got a few new animals (boy that is all we need around here...).  She loves to play in her tent as well as color and draw in there.  Holton loves her tent too.

 We hit a grand slam with this train.  Holton loves it and drives it so good.  He loves his 'choo choo'!

Sweet Hayes---his first Christmas was so good.  He slept in and then just watched all the wild action going on around him. 

The rest of the morning was spent playing outside.  They had such a big time out there playing.  It was great fun.  Everyone took great turns driving the Hummer and actually still do even now.  Our play time outside has been few because it has been stinkin COLD here in San Antonio.

After Holton's nap we all loaded up for a late lunch/early dinner to Grimaldis (remember it was really Christmas Eve).  This has become a tradition for us.  It's our 3rd year to do it and we love pizza on Christmas Eve.  Delicious!!  We spent the rest of the day playing and getting packed and ready to leave the next day for Christmas #3 in Tyler.