simply having a wonderful christmas time...{it was}

it took us about 20 minutes to wake max up on christmas morning.

bless her.

we had been holding brennan off since 7:15am 

watching movies on our phone in max's old room.

then finally at 8:30am he couldn't take it any more.

so we opened the blinds,

while brennan paced in circles,

and rubbed max's legs to try to wake her up.

brennan started yelling at max {she stayed asleep},

brennan started crying,

we took away her blanket,

she rolled over {and stayed asleep},

we took away her binky,

and finally she opened one eye.

then sean ran down the stairs to turn the video camera on,

while i made everybody go pee and corralled the crew in the upstairs hall.

brennan jumped up and down saying,

"i was a good boy!!!!!! i was a good boy!!!! santa's real!!!"

max stood there looking like she was ready to go back to bed if we didn't hurry,

and chase stayed fast asleep in his closet room OVER the stairs until 9:30am.

chase spent the day rolling around in the wrapping paper, happy as a clam.

max finally "got it" this year and kept asking, "where's my 'nother present?!" after each one she opened,

and brennan mastered the tricks of getting spider-man to climb up his stunt city without using his hands.

the super heroes AND the mermaids played in the dream doll house.

brennan stole prince eric and played with him almost as much as spider-man.

i stayed in my pajamas until 3pm and brushed my teeth around 4.

sean unwrapped, un-twined, freed, and cut out toys for hours on end.

THE MENU

...

breakfast

sean's mom's famous egg casserole

chocolate croissants

tom & jerry's warmed tottie {minus the rum}

lunch

baked brie

meatballs on sticks

grandma max's ham rolls

shrimp

berry and peach & apple bubbly

 dinner

{compliments of Grandma Carol} 

prime rib

waldorf salad

baked potatoes

grandma max's sweet potatoes

hot rolls

baby carrots

pink berry bubbly

 and brennan took about a million pictures with his little camera
of spider-man climbing stunt city, people's nostrils, and the carpet.
but my favorite was when he took a picture of me taking a picture of him.

it was a dream day sitting in our front room together.

i sat on the floor and closed my eyes REALLY tight just to make sure it was real.

it was:)

tiny tots, with their eyes all aglow {christmas eve}

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir

And folks dressed up like Eskimos
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe

Help to make the season bright

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow 

Will find it hard to sleep tonight

They know that Santa's on his way

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh

And every mother's child is gonna spy

To see if reindeer really know how to fly

And so I'm offering this simple phrase

To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it's been said many times

Many ways, Merry Christmas to you

-The Christmas Song

.....

on christmas eve morning it started snowing.

big huge flakes.

and you couldn't see more than a block ahead of you.

it was charming.

i cooked all day to christmas music.

the menu:

steak and cheese fondue

brie salad with homemade red wine vinegar dressing

mixed vegetables

orange jello salad

4 different blends of sparkling bubbly

dessert:

warm cherry pie with ice cream

and then we were all assigned our nativity parts.

3 wise men,

an angel,

and a shepherd and a pear tree.

or sheep.

whichever.

and even though we aimed for midnight,

sean and i weren't tucked snugly into our bed until 1:30am.

the kids were 10pm.

but they didn't find it hard to sleep b/c they were completely exhausted.

us too.

US.TOO.

:):):)

it's a wonderful life

tonight i wrapped presents for the kids,

and sean put together a doll house for max.

the little screws are even pink.

i adore it.

we watched "it's a wonderful life."

and i just sat their the entire time with my scissors and tape 

and was so overcome with happiness. 

happy to be wrapping presents next to the christmas trees,

in a warm house,

with three beautiful children sleeping upstairs.

so happy to have a husband like sean.

staying up late to put together a doll house for three hours.

such a catch i caught in that one!

it's a wonderful life.

:):):)

.......

earlier tonight it was stroganoff and sugar cookie night with grandma carol.

she had her best friend make my kids aprons for the occasion.

thank you cherie!

even one for baby man chase ray.

with little candy cane and candy ribbon prints on them.

they were so cute in them.

brennan wasn't feeling good and ended up watching Cinderella on the couch.

while max basked in her time alone with grandma carol at the cookie counter,

cutting out sugar cookies with santa, stocking, snowman, stocking, and star shapes.

and frosting and decorating them with candy crushes and red and green m&m's.

i want to sleep in until noon tomorrow.

there is no way that is happening.

i will settle for watching christmas movies all morning.

and i'm hoping and praying that no one starts puking:)