Christmas 2008

Just like birthdays, we like to drag our Christmas celebrations out as long as possible. We started on Christmas Eve and decked the halls until Saturday afternoon. The girls had a really great time this year and we loved watching them experience the magic and joy of Christmas.

Our first stop was at Nana and Grandad Jack's house on Christmas Eve.



Claire was super-excited to receive this gift, which she wanted last year but was recalled before Christmas.


Arden can't get enough of the princess experience, and really, who can blame her?


After the festivities at Nana's, we went home and got ready for Santa. The girls were extra excited because cousin Connor got to spend the night with us this year. The kids wrote a note to Santa and got busy setting out carrots for the reindeer and a plate of (store-bought, kind of stale) cookies for Santa.



Claire was extremely worried that Arden would get out of bed and Santa wouldn't come. I guess I over-emphasized the whole "Santa only comes after all the children are asleep" thing. Luckily, everyone went to sleep and the grown-ups were able to assemble all the fun things Santa had selected for the kids, including a four foot wooden dollhouse that came with two pages of instructions. Two pages of steps 12-20 of the instructions. No 1-11 to be found anywhere in the box. Santa seriously needs some quality control up there at the North Pole.








Later that day we were off to "The Farm" for more Christmas fun, including a hay ride (I did not participate this year), skeet shooting (didn't participate), four-wheeler riding (also did not particpate) and lots of trampoline jumping (again with the non-participation). Now that I think of it, maybe I should've joined in on some of those activites. Maybe I'd be holding the new baby by now...



We continued our Christmas experience all the way until Saturday, spending time with Aunt Ashley and Uncle Thad and Aunt Darla, Uncle Butch, Alsion and Nana Vel.

We had a truly wonderful Christmas this year. The girls were gracious with their gifts and only asked for additional presents a few times. I consider this a big accomplishment for a two and four year old. And, in case you were wondering, Santa came through for Arden with the makeup...