Christmas

Christmas always goes by so fast. You take so much time preparing for it and then poof it is gone.

Wes and I decided that this year's festivities were going to be very relaxing and spent together having fun. Christmas Eve day we went and saw the movie Despereaux, it was very cute and well done, though the movie was very different from the book.
I had made Christmas Eve dinner the night before. Roast with a Porcini Mushroom Ragu, Marcarpone Mashed Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans. Dinner was excellent, if I do say so myself and I am happy that I didn't kill myself making it on Christmas Eve. The girls and I had also made Santa's cookies, so they were all ready to go. The girls were so excited ... I am so happy that as you get older you don't lose that nervous anticipation for Christmas morning. I was just as excited as the girls. After dinner we turned on the Polar Express and then we each got to open up one present. Us girls got into our Christmas jammies and we put milk and cookies and carrots out for Santa and of course his reindeer.

We got the girls to bed (waited about 90 minutes) and then the work began. Our next door neighbor came over and helped Wes move the dollhouse downstairs and I got the privlege of wrapping that bad boy, it took a whole roll and a half of wrapping papper .... it was a lot of fun. (Look at Dollhouse Blog for pics).
I got all the gifts under the tree, did some other "special" duties and hoped we had not forgotten anything. Christmas Eve is what being a parent is all about. I love the feeling of bringing joy and wonder to our little girls and as they get older it gets more exciting for us.
I tried to convince Wes to let me go and wake the girls up so we could open up presents (about 1 a.m.) I have a harder time waiting then the girls do. He said we had to go to bed and get a few hours sleep ... he is no fun.

8:00 rolled around and the girls came in and woke us up. We all got freshened up and I got the Strata I had made the night before into the oven for breakfast (it takes 90 minutes to bake, it is perfect for Christmas morning). We took the girls into the living room and their little eyes got so big, they started squeaking in octaves that only dogs could hear. It was very exciting. We all agreed that we were going to go very slow and draw out the opening of presents as long as possible. We turned on the TV to the channel that was playing Christmas songs and showed a Yule log burning. Hey, you work with what you have.

We opened up the gifts from all our family and friends first and I felt homesick but thankful that everyone had thought of us. Thank you all:)

The girls asked to open the great big gift but we told them that they had to wait and they were very patient and enjoyed everything they received. Hannah got an Art Easel from Santa and it came with paint brushes ... I thought she was going to die from happiness. Audrey was in book heaven (it is Wednesday and she had finished almost a dozen chapter books).

Wes did an excellent job shopping this year. He always has so many doubts about his shopping abilities when it comes to buying me things but he has been spot on lately and my Christmas was perfect.

We ate breakfast and played with all of our new toys. We then went and saw Bedtime Stories with Adam Sandler. That was a great movie, loved it. We came home, ate Swedish Meatballs, and just enjoyed having one of the best Christmas's ever. This was Wes and mine 10th Christmas ... I can not believe we are in double digits.