Christmas with GranJan and Grandpa

We celebrated Christmas with GranJan & Grandpa, Auntie Ema, Luke & Uncle Jeff, and Uncle Jason on the day after Christmas.  It was a perfect choice to maximize our time together since no one had anywhere else to be.  Lucy was a little moody at the start, not that you can tell from this picture:

But we had a good day with everyone and again, Lucy helped Max some with opening his gifts and getting excited about what he got.  Pretty soon it's going to be more evident to her that she's outnumbered by the boys but for now, as the biggest and the oldest, she has a lot of fun.  She'll run around and scream and giggle and follow or lead Luke ("Tome on, Lutey!") and she always wants to share her snacks with him.  She can be a real sweetie!

Max loved all of the commotion and the noise and paper!

Christmas day!

Santa came!  And I'll let the pictures do most of the talking:

We got Lucy some Frozen undies which I thought would excite her but she apparently thought underwear was a silly Christmas gift...

Here are the kids with their gifts from Great Grandpa and Granny - Lucy with her amulet plus the Sofia costume she got from Santa, and Max with his Simba toy, which he loves.

Lucy and I did a little bit of shopping at Target a couple of days before Christmas.  She wanted to get Daddy and Max gifts, and she ended up picking a gift for me, too.  She got Daddy a Ninja Turtle plate and a Sofia the First plate for me.  She wanted to get a car for Max and we found a cute one that he could roll or shake like a rattle.
When we got home, we started wrapping the gifts but once we'd wrapped Dad's and Max's, her eyes got wide, she hurriedly hid my gift behind her back, and she asked me to get Dad to help her wrap it - you know, so it would be a surprise to me when I opened it!


Lucy helping Max open her gift to him
(Max got her a Frozen fork and spoon set)





Max liked his new Mickey car! 
And big sister couldn't resist giving it a try - but then she got herself stuck in it!



Super excited about an Elsa Pez dispenser

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We had a nice morning of opening gifts and playing with new toys...then there was time for naps (Mom got one, too!  Best gift ever!) before getting ready for our next Christmas party - at Grandma and Troy's house!


My cuties...plus Lucy's new doll, Katie



We had a great day visiting with Grandma and Troy, Great Grandma, Tracey and Sarah, Bill and Melanie, Aunt Peggy and Uncle Jim, and Aunt Amy.
Lucy loved the Barbie and Barbie horse she got, especially...and again, she was so cute with Max, helping him open his gifts and excitedly exclaiming what he got, "Look at this, buddy!" 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2014 continues - Christmas Eve

We started Christmas Eve in our traditional way - with breakfast at Bob Evans!  Dave and I started this tradition years ago as a nice, quiet, relaxing, calm-before-the-storm.  Two kids later and there is never really any "calm" but it's been fun continuing this ritual with our growing family.  Lucy ordered pancakes and sausage and got a kick out of having her own little syrup dispenser.  Maxy boy scarfed down the cereal with fruit and puffs I packed for him.

We went to church at St. Anthony before party time at my Uncle Steve and Aunt Debbie's house. 
I got Max's sweater from Old Navy and GranJan picked up his fancy bow-tie shirt and pants at Macy's.  We stumbled upon Lucy's outfit on clearance at Gymboree just a couple of days earlier...how cute are these two?!?

(Lucy had not been on her best behaviour throughout the day and refused to take a nap (instead, she screamed and carried on like a person possessed) but she sure cleaned up nicely).



Dinner partners at their own table, once again

Lucy and Max were in the gift exchange.  Alex had Max's name and he loved the wallet and giraffe ball-sorting toy he received!  He thought the wrapping paper Alex chose was especially delicious.  Lucy got a Cabbage Patch doll with a lollipop from Aunt Debbie...happy kids!


Team work!

The wallet was mighty tasty, too!

After dinner and the gift exchange, it was time to head over to Granny & Great Grandpa's house.  Lucy got a Sophia the First talking amulet and the game Hungry, Hungry Hippos!  Max got a Simba ball sorter - fun stuff!

Luke lent a hand

Lucy got her godfather a special gift and he got one for her - she gave him a calender filled with lots and lots Lucy pictures...every month with be Lucy month in Uncle Jason's new house!

Uncle Jason got her a special Frozen big wheel!  After initially appearing super happy and excited, Lucy got quiet and shy and backed away from the bike.  Very strange.  I might have forgotten how happy she'd seemed at first if I hadn't managed to snap these photos. 
There were several people that had gathered around to watch her open the gift so maybe she suddenly didn't like being the center of attention - or maybe that no-nap thing was catching up to her...she's been a bit moody lately a little tough to figure out.  But she loves her bike and she loves her Uncle Jason, even if she had trouble showing it at gift-giving time!

And this little dude?
Well he loves just about everything!

Once home, it was time to snuggle into their Christmas pajamas and get a good night's sleep in preparation for the big day ahead of them!  Lucy set out her one cookie for Santa and it was even her idea to add a glass of milk.