our christmas

Christmas 2011 was amazing.  The Mayor was beyond excited to see what Santa was going to bring and his excitement was contagious.  He made me feel like a kid again.  Love Bug was excited because she saw her brother was so excited.  Next year is going to be even better because next year she will understand a little more about Christmas.

Both kids were up early, around 7, and sat patiently at the top of the stairs waiting to be released on the gifts.  They ran into the family room and The Mayor wanted to dig right in.  Love Bug was a little confused but she eventually caught on.

This age is so fun.  When even the little gifts still excite them.  It didn't matter what was unwrapped, they were as excited for the little gifts as they were with the big gifts.  Santa did not disappoint either, that sweet man brought the kids everything they asked for.  Flynn the fire engine and the Geo Trax Cars set for The Mayor; a baby doll, Barbie 4-wheeler and Minnie Mouse Princess Bowtique for Love Bug.  Mommy and Daddy filled in the rest.

After presents and a delicious breakfast, we spent the rest of the morning and afternoon playing with the new toys.  Around 3:00, we headed to Mamie and PopPop's for Christmas Round 2.  It was so fun being able to spend the evening with family and watching The Mayor, Love Bug and Bennett get excited over their gifts.  Mamie made an amazing Christmas dinner and we ate more than we should.  But it was so worth it.

We got home around 7:00 and about 5 minutes later, MeMe and Big Daddy rolled in.  The kids were so happy to see them at our door, and I was excited Christmas Round 3 was starting to get underway.  After a quick hello, The Mayor and Love Bug went to bed.  They were so exhausted from the day, they just weren't going to last.  It was nice being able to visit with MeMe and Big Daddy in peace and quiet.  As fun as the day was, it was nice bedtime had finally come.

By lunch the next day, Aunt Nat, Uncle Tom, Trey and Luke had arrived.  We were all finally together and the day was perfect.  The weather was pretty nice outside, so The Mayor, Trey and Luke played outside for hours while Aunt Nat and I enjoyed a fire in the firepit.  Uncle Tom and D threw the football around and the boys loved getting in on the action.  Sweet Love Bug was napping so she sadly missed the outdoor fun.  We finally woke her up around 4:30 and opened gifts.  After the third, and thankfully final round of gifts (where are all these toys going to go?), we went out for dinner.  We hit a local BBQ joint and dinner was delicious.  And it was so nice to eat a meal that had no sugar nor any of the typical Christmas dinner fixins.  This lady was getting very tired of eating junk.

By lunch today, the last of our family had left.  When Aunt Nat and her crew left, The Mayor told them "see you tomorrow!".  The Mayor will absolutely be devastated tomorrow when he wakes up and no one is here except me, D and Love Bug.

D is home for the rest of the week.  I AM SO HAPPY!  I love having him home and all of us together. We do not have any plans but I am sure we will find lots of fun things to do with the kids.  One of which will be organizing the toy chaos that has consumed this home.  Goodwill will be getting a donation this week from the Shirley clan so we can make room for the new toys.

so excited!  waiting to see what Santa brought!

one of six baby dolls she got for Christmas.  She loves every single one of them!

Flynn the fire engine!  The gift he was most excited to get!

playing with his most annoying gift of the season.  Thanks Mamie and PopPop...he loves it!

posing next to her new grocery cart

love sweet Bennett

my 3 favorite people

thanking Big Daddy for his presents

D surprised me with what is undoubtedly the best gift he has ever given me.  His friend Emily is an amazing artist and they collaborated on such a meaningful gift for me.  My mother used to paint and one of the things she painted and had in her kitchen was lemons.  Because of this, I have always had lemons in my kitchen since I have been married.  When I recovered our cornice boards in the kitchen, I took down the antique lemon plates hanging over our french doors.  Well D and Emily thought I needed lemons back in my kitchen so Emily painted me lemons!  But the most amazing part is Emily took my mom's recipes and made copies of some of my favorites and incorporated them in the painting.  So my mother's handwriting and name are on this painting.  My mother's recipes are one of the few things of hers that I have and I hold them very dear to my heart.  She was an AMAZING cook.  I cried for hours Christmas morning.  I love this gift.  I am pretty confident D will never be able to top this.