Happy Family: Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Christmas Day finally arrived!! We had talked all throughout Advent about Jesus' birthday and had a countdown going. We lite the Advent wreath candles Morgan made each week after mass and we talked about each candle's meaning. Lots of Christmas books were read, the tree was trimmed, music had been playing and we were ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

The night before we set out a key (given to us by my sweet friend Jenn and the kid's godmother) for St. Nicholas that said: "This magic key workds just for you. Please open the door and come on through. Thank you for coming to our house tonight. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Thank you Santa for the gifts you bring. Thank you Lord for everything!" This is the first year we even really talked about St. Nick so we reminded Morgan that he was bringing presents to the stocking in celebration of Jesus' birthday and we were so lucky to have a him as a great saintly example of how to live. She kept running up to Owen before the bath saying "Come on bud! We've gotta take a bath, put our Christmas pjs on and then we can put the key out for St. Nick! Come on!" She's so adorable.

So they went right to bed and then came the fun part! Jarid worked on putting together their new bikes {Our super awesome former nanny Shana gave them toddler bikes...they're so cute and we're so grateful not only for the present but to have her in our lives}, I set out the presents and organized it all. It's so much fun for us :) The final display was so exciting.

That night I just couldn't sleep - seriously - like a little kid. It was a mix of excitement for them, being 1000 degrees and just being restless. So in the middle of the night I ended up in Owen's bed (b/c he came to ours and added to my already hot self.) Jarid let him wake me up around 8:30 and he kept saying "bike! bike!" - I didn't even know he knew that word but man he was sure saying it with excitment! Morgan kept sleeping so I got up and started the cinnamon rolls and they were just finished when she got out of bed.

Next came the stockings of course. Morgan went right over to them and said "Did St. Nicholas come??" She was happy to see he did and then she asked about the key ;) She pulled down hers and Owens (and insisted we get ours too) and we opened them up. St. Nick brought some coloring books, books for church, a toothbrush, bath fizzies, gloves, candies and a few other fun things. This year she actually said "ok! Let's open the rest of the presents" instead of just wanting to play/color what she had already opened. She's growing up too fast. And Owen just followed her lead. {Sugar (Jarid's mom) made all of our stockings special - all her kids and grandkids have homemade stockings with indiviual designs on them. I LOVE that the kids will get to keep their stockings forever and always think of her when they hang it up. And I love mine too :) }

Next came the presents. We try to keep Christmas gifts to a minimum for several reasons. One, to keep Jesus the focus the day. Two, so they don't come to expect an overflow of gifts each year. And three, to keep us all humble throughout the year. Jarid and I have agreed on this from day one and I'm so thankful. As for us, we usually don't exchange many gifts either although we do fill up each other's stocking with a few things and let the kids pick out a gift or two. It's really perfect for us.

See! I was there too!

Daddy assembly required for the tool bench. They actually have you use the play tools to put the set together. Why do I find that so hilarious?? Ha. So, Jarid was assembling the bench while the kids kicked/jumped on/slide down the box - it's always the little things in life they enjoy.

Next came a lot of playing. And I mean a lot. We played with the new dinosaurs, cars, baby stroller (with a twin boy & girl so they each have a baby), the tool bench and the tractor lights they got from Sugar and Papa. Fun, fun, rest of the day. Jarid and Owen took a "Christmas nap" as he said. After making a yummy breakfast and lunch (a pull apart mozarella pizza pull apart) and since it was just the 4 of us we hit the McDonald's drive thru. Ha. Great Christmas dinner. It was nice to get out and about though. Once we ate dinner we just played more and the kids talked to lots of our friends & family on the phone or via facetime. I heart technology. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and the kids split a cupcake after blowing out a candle. I love this little tradition :)