Presents Galore: Real & Virtual!

We had quite a fun Christmas this morning. Presents do multiply like rabbits, though, don't they? It seems like we always open up more than we put under the tree. We are spoiled, but thankful.

I'll just touch on the gift highlights...

Dan-8 GB thumb drive from my parents. Very cool! My gifts to him were more follow up to other gifts this month. I bought him (us) a frame for one of our anniversary pics and a carrying case for his DS. Oh, and Timothy gave him a "gently used" Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.

Timothy-Nintendo Wii & Mario Kart. Need I say more? This boy has been studying Mario Kart characters on the computer for well over a year now. He is in heaven. My step-mom made us matching aprons, which I LOVE and can't wait to cook in the kitchen with my kiddos.

Samantha-My dad & step-mom got her a Little Einstein's toy laptop, which has a really neat spaceship shaped mouse that will be good practice for a real mouse. The huge hit of the day is the Littlest Pet Shop. She played with it for almost 2 hours straight!

Timothy has had a Doodle Pro since before Samantha was born, so we bought one for her this year. As you can see in just 3 years, they've changed the design quite a bit. Samantha's is handy because the shape holder is now magnetic to make it stick better. So as long as she remembers to put the shape back in it's spot, we won't lose them. Timothy's have all disappeared, but as long as the drawer is closed you would never know it! As soon as we lose one of hers, it will be much more obvious. Which design do you prefer?

Me-Dan really over "gave" to me this year, but he reminded me these presents have to stretch out over deployment. So to ease my guilt I'll count these as Christmas, V Day, and B-day presents. I got 2 kitchen gifts from my step-mom, and then these 3 from Dan!

My Christmas was topped off by 2 blogging presents:

1. Print Shop from my parents-I can't wait to play with that!
2. My 10,000th Page Load!!! This gift comes from Kristen McLane at kristenmclane.com. This is appropriate since I met Kristen via blogging right before she moved to San Diego! Her blog is full of humor and wonderful anecdotes as they transition to a new city! Ironically, on Tuesday I received this Pillsbury basket I won from Kristen's wonderful giveaways. Hopefully it won't take me another 16 months to get 10,000 hits!

Christmas Eve

What a night! Our plan was to go to the Christmas Eve service at 5, come home and get full tummies, let the kids open one present before sending them off to bed, and then watch The Chronicles of Narnia. All of it happened, but not quite as smoothly as I wanted.

Samantha can stay quiet for spans of time, but when she makes noise it's really loud and typically not happy. After working for 45 minutes to keep her quiet during the service, we slipped out a little early.

On Christmas Eve the kids get to open one present-their annual pajamas. Timothy was more than thrilled to get Mario pjs. There is more Mario to come! Samantha loved her Scottie pjs at first "because they are red," but decided later she didn't want to wear the shirt. I'll make sure she's decent while opening presents.

We made the HUGE mistake of telling Samantha that she could sleep in Timothy's room . They were so excited, but Timothy had forgotten how much he hates it. He actually likes winding down in bed, and he has a hard time doing that when (and I quote), "Sam is jumping on me, and when I tell her to go to sleep she won't do it."

Both kids were totally hyped up. They couldn't calm down to save their lives! Every stereotype I've ever seen about kids staying up late on Christmas Eve "waiting for Santa" was how my kids were! Their bedtime is no later than 7:30, and they finally went to bed at 9:50!

Yes, I totally caved. I made a giant pallet on the floor, and we watched the movie together. Sam wanted to "lay down on the couch". All she could say about the movie over and over was, "Talking Beavers?" (insert giggle). Timothy groaned out, "It's taking so long." Dan and I asked what was, and he said, "Night time is taking SO long, I want it to be sunny."

I hadn't seen the first Narnia movie, and it was a wonderful film to watch on Christmas Eve. Just loved it! Here's a sneak preview of Christmas morning:

After great agony putting these scooters together, I opted for a bicycle that came assembled. All I had to do was add the big bow!

How was your Christmas Eve?

Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ!

He is our ...

JOY (Luke 2:8-11)

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord..."

HOPE (1 Peter 1:3)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

PEACE (Ephesians 2: 13-16)

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

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