The Day We've All Been Waiting For

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't as excited (or more) as my kids about Christmas day.  Although I am still very excited to GET presents, I am also just as excited to GIVE them too.  I make each of the kids something for Christmas and I always get excited for them to open what I've worked hard on, specifically with each of their personalities and likes in mind.  I was very excited for Shawn to open his gifts this year too.  I didn't get him a single thing on his "wishlist."  Of course he didn't really have a list.  But what I mean is, everything I gave him was sentimental this year and I think I hit the nail on the head with a lot of his gifts!

Evidence that I was up, showered and completely ready before a single child woke up.  Still have a hard time sleeping and staying asleep on Christmas Eve.

 The stocking were hung and filled to the brim! 

 We had to wake up 2 of the 3 kids!  We did our traditional moving of the moose to the #25 on our Christmas countdown.

 

Everyone then came bolting down the stairs, eyes wide, mouth wide in disbelief that Santa had come and that they had been deemed "good." 

Here's a picture I snapped of the "blue skittles" that Levi asked Santa to bring.

Ava loves to give homemade gifts.  She draws things for us and puts it in an enveloped and under the tree.  Occasionally she finds a little box and will put something in that and wrap it and stick it under the tree.  You never know what your "gift" will be.  This year, she gave me a box with a picture she had drawn in it, a craft project that we did this summer using those melty beads and she scraped together $1.51 and added that to the box.  I just thought that was the sweetest thing.

After opening all the gifts, we left everything just as it was, packed our bags and upon seeing everyone looking so cute together, I told everyone to head out to the backyard for a family photo! 

 

We sure do coordinate well...wonder who does the shopping around here?

This is the doll closet that Santa made...as in made from scratch.  It's amazing!!!!!  And Ava loves it.