Christmas 2012

Christmas this past year was a frugal one to say the least. Santa was able to get his hands on a couple of REALLY cool gifts, but they were by no means brand new, the latest thing or even exactly what the kids asked for. Brayden was all over wanting a Wii U this year...I was able to convince him that that probably wasn't going to happen. Next he obsessed over wanting an iphone. After more talks he realized that having the phone meant paying money every month that he didn't have. So he settled for asking for an iPod. Alana kept asking for a laptop...specifically a blue one (her favorite color). A long while ago she also mentioned that she was going to ask Santa for a flat iron and a body pillow, so I was quick to remind her of that when they were revising their lists to Santa.

Here are the kids opening their traditional Christmas Eve gift: pajamas.

 Here's Brayden in his Iron Man jammies.

 Alana in her super comfy "gaucho" pants and shirt that says, "Santa, I can explain." She thought it was funny.

 Aren't the so cute, and getting so big!?

These next couple pictures are of our very own original Christmas tradition. Every year I buy them a new pin/button to put on their stockings. Something that represents the year they had. Someday, their stockings will be super full and they will be able to look back on good memories.

Alana's has: a red-headed girl button representing her, a teddy bear because I always called her my sugar bear, a castle for the year she REALLY got into dress up, a frying pan for when all she wanted to play was house and kitchen stuff, a crayon box for her first official year of preschool, a school house for when she started Kindergarten, a pin of a super smiley happy face for the year she lost her first tooth, a pin for the year she learned how to ride her bike with no training wheels, an I am a Child of God pin for the year she got baptized and then a note with a piano attached for this last year when she began piano lessons.

Brayden's has: a frog representing him (my baby shower theme was Frogs, Snails and Puppy dog Tails), next is a pig because he would eat anything and everything we put in front of him when he was a baby, a carrot because he REALLY got into loving vegetables (specifically carrots) at around age 2, a baseball cap because this was when he really started to show his boy side and throw balls around, a rolling pin for the year we found out about his wheat allergy, a pin with 3 things on it: he started Kindergarten, learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels and lost his first tooth...all in the same year! Next is a pencil and paper because he started showing his love to write and draw and finally the same note with a piano attached for this last year when he began piano lessons. (this next year he, too, will get a pin that says I am a Child of God on it because he is getting baptized!)

 On Christmas Eve we sang Silent Night and Brayden insisted that he got to accompany us at the piano while we sang. :)

 Brayden reading part of the story of the birth of Jesus out of the bible

 Alana's turn to read part of the story of the birth of Jesus.

 Cookies, milk and letters to Santa ready and waiting for the big guy in red.

 Santa came!!! All kinds of goodies for Brayden including that iPod he wanted!

 Alana's goodies from Santa including a netbook! (it isn't blue but oh well)

 Brown paper packages under the tree

 This was the scene most of Christmas morning. They were beyond excited!

 Alana checking out Brayden's iPod that Santa filled with Weird Al Yankovic songs.

 After checking out their Santa loot we moved on to opening the rest of the presents under the tree. Alana got that flat iron she asked for too!

 Brayden had been jealous for a while because Alana got a robe from her Aunt Tiffy. Here he is all comfy cozy in his own!

 Two Captain Underpants books Brayden didn't have yet.

 I got each of the kids their own Hymnbook with their names on them

 Diary of a Wimpy Kid shirt for Brayden. Alana was SO jealous!

 Alana and Brayden and all of their loot!

 Santa also brought the kids mustaches in their stockings. They had a good time trying some on :)

 Thought Brayden looked a lot like Mario with this one on!

 Christmas evening we went over to Tim's parent's house for dinner and dessert. Christmas festivities always prove a little too much for Dad. :)

 This puzzle Sarah and Tim are working on was actually a gift for Sarah and Jeff's daughter. Jeff took a nice long turn shortly after opening it with his daughter trying to figure it out...Sarah then took her own turn. Here is some of the progress:

 I couldn't tell if she was irritated or just being silly in this one. It had been being worked on for over 2 hours at this point.

 Getting a little further.

 There was little success getting all the way done with the puzzle that night, but Sarah assured me that she was excited and looked forward to working on it more.