Christmas

If you read the last post, you know Christmas is a little different this year with Jessica being married and Adam sharing an apartment with a friend. Our celebrating with them was done on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning it was Rick, myself, Tyler, Jasmine, Kaleb and Kayla. That may sound like a lot, but not when compared with the Christmases where we had six children here with us, sometimes seven.

Thankfully our kids don't get up at daybreak on Christmas. This year no one was up before 8:00. Our tradition is to have cinnamon rolls (or orange rolls) on Christmas morning. Then we open gifts. We hand everyone the gift from a certain person and open them together. This year we started with the clothes I'd bought everyone.

Then we opened the gifts from my brother.

This year he sent the older kids checks so they could buy their own gifts. The younger ones got snorkel sets which is something they've wanted since we started snorkeling with just masks at one of the beaches that has jetties. Sometimes the area around the jetties looks like a tropical fish tank!

Then we opened the gifts from my sister.

In reality, my mom, brother and sister send money and I buy for everyone. Usually I buy DVDs from Aunt Lou each year so they've come to expect that. With shopping Black Friday, I was able to get some good deals. She usually orders me something through Amazon, and this year it was a waffle iron.

We opened our main gifts last.

Rick isn't holding his blue ray players (one for our room and one for the living room) for some reason.

We are combining the money from my mom and Rick's parents to get the kids a trampoline. I should have gotten one on Black Friday when they were half price, but we hadn't yet planned on getting one.

Trying out the new skates. They are for the rink so she can't wear them outside.

I got Caspian a squirrel. He doesn't fetch a thrown toy, but he cuddles with them.

Travis loves to fetch toys.

He just wanted to be a lap dog.

She will fetch and play, but I don't know where she put her new penguin. She's almost as big as Travis.

They were all happy with their new squeaky toys. Travis will sit and squeak his until we are all crazy.

 The last several years we've done make-your-own pizzas for lunch.

The kids spent the rest of the day watching the new DVDs, loading things on tablets and skating in the kitchen. 

So that was our Christmas this year. I wonder what changes we will have before Christmas  next year?