Our Christmas 2011

I was singing several days in a row this year over the weekend and even on Christmas morning. Thankfully Scott had the next day off so we did "Christmas morning" traditions together on Monday morning, day after Christmas. So on Christmas night (our "Christmas Eve") my amazing husband got in the garage, sanded down and painted the old mantle he had taken down the year before (to put tile on our fireplace instead of brick sticking up and being a hazard to our babies) and he put it up! While he was doing that I was setting other stuff up and cleaning and watching our late-nighter baby Evie. I set down a soft blanket and had brought out some extra Christmas decor not already out including a stuffed reindeer that Scott's little sister made us YEARS ago. Evie LOVED it! It was like giving catnip to a cat! She rolled around with it and practically "purred" over it!


Stockings all hung up on the newly painted, made-over mantle.

The whole fireplace set up (below). - Finally finished!!!

The next morning our two oldest woke up excited. Evie... didn't want to wake up yet. We brought her out but she still didn't want to wake up so we let her take a short nap on the blanket while the other kids started in on stockings.



There was an apple and snack bar in each stocking. This was Zephaniah's favorite part (and almost Nathanael's favorite - okay and the girls liked it too!).
Did I mention that my grandmother hand-knitt each stocking as each member of the family has joined? Yep. She just gave us Zeph's a little after he came home.
Evie and Arielle both got ride-on/bike toys from Craigslist (used). Evie's was in perfect condition and Arielle's was spray-painted by her daddy... the night before (yes, last minute!). It looked almost new after the new paint (special paint just for plastics).

Eventually Evie woke up and realized all the fun was going on and she was very happy to have "pre-breakfast" immediately.
What Evie did with this present at first.....

My Auntie got Zeph this little "punny" pj set.
That evening my parents came over. Here's my daddy:
Arielle in her new pjs and headband.