Our Christmas

Our Christmas was merry and bright, as expected with two little boys running around brimming with excitement. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Christmas Eve:

Christmas Morning:

Christmas Brunch:

Christmas Afternoon:

And one funny story:

Christmas Eve Grayson was excited, but after church and dinner with friends and putting out cookies for Santa he was tired and fell asleep pretty quickly . . . until 3am when I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Mommy, why won't my clock say 7. I have been waiting for it to say 7 but it won't come. Mommy, it's time to get up. Santa came" he said. "Grayson . . . what time is it . . . you need to go back to bed" I replied. "No, Mommy he came! There are chairs in the hallway - that is what he did last year. Santa came! Get up Mommy!" Grayson said. Fumbling for the clock, I said "Grayson, it is 3am. It is the middle of the night. You have to go back to bed." "For how long, Mommy?" he whined. "For 4 hours" I said, at which point I thought he was going to start to cry. I got out of bed and walked him back to his room and tucked him in. He managed to go back to sleep . . . until 6am at which point we repeated the conversation and sent him back to bed until it was finally 7.

The Day Before Christmas Box

Each year Mima and Pop-pop send Grayson and Max a Day-Before-Christmas Box full of dollar-store type toys and gadgets. This tradition started long ago when Tony's grandparents did the same thing for him and his brothers. It keeps the kids happy on what probably seems like the longest day of the year for them.

Our Visit with Santa

Last Saturday Grayson and Max visited Santa. He was making a short stop at our local mall, and he said he had time to say hello to two more little boys. On our way there, we answered Grayson's usual litany of questions. "Mommy, what does Santa do all year?" "Is he the REAL Santa?" "How does he see me every day?" "How does he make all the toys?" and on and on. He is really excited, but also trying to figure this all out.

Just a minute, Max. Just smile for a minute . . . ok?

Who IS this guy?

After the pictures, Grayson's lists were handed to Santa. Grayson asked for an angel for the top of our nativity (our angel was lost), a red light saber, an X-wing Fighter, a Star Wars set, and Superman PJ's. Max asked for a toy rat (Grayson's add), an Elmo, a slide, a peekaboo toy (another of Grayson's adds), and to GET OFF THIS GUY'S LAP!

Come on, Mom, come get me NOOOOOOOOOOOOW!

So Santa and Grayson had a nice little chat after that as Grayson read him the lists.

The End.

Baking Gingerbread Christmas Cookies

School is out and the weather outside is frightful, so we're keeping busy baking cookies. Grayson requested his favorite - gingerbread - so that's what we made first. They won't be the last batch of cookies I'm sure.