Our Christmas

A new tradition in our household is to have Christmas with just us a few days before the actual big day. We found that with Christmas Eve with Drew's family and Christmas Day with my mom our time as a family to celebrate was becoming overlooked, if you will. Last year we decided to make the 21st(ish) our Christmas complete with a big meal. Last night we served up turkey, sauteed broccoli, jellied cranberry sauce, rolls, and applesauce. It was a feast!

My husband's mad turkey carving and displaying skills.

He just carved the breast and legs as our children (and us) were getting a little hungry.

Ward asked for the turkey leg...SC State Fair style.

After dessert we were getting ready for present and stocking time and Drew decided to document how excited all the kiddos were...

(He was already in his PJ's after eating a little too much and having to rid himself of said excess)

Twirling

We gave the boys the Usborne "Illustrated Classics for Boys" (the girls received the girl's one, too). The stories are great and the illustrations are just beautiful!

Opening...

...her very own Bible!

She immediately started reading it.

Showing off her Leggos! Pumped.

Ready to fight some dragons and rescue the princess!

We also gave the girls the complete set of Little House on the Prairie books. I found a great deal and can't wait to start reading them with them!

Ward's "big" present was an inflatable sleeping bag which Drew promptly blew up for him to get in. The boy LOVES Spiderman even though he's never seen the cartoon, a movie, or anything else having to do with him!

Cade got some shape blocks to put in shaped holes and some cowboy and Indian figures. His biggest present (as far as he was concerned) was his very own toothbrush. He was so full of pride having his teeth brushed for the first time last night like his older siblings. Precious!

We also opened stockings filled with new toothbrushes, Spiderman (Ward) and Dora (MF) body wash, crayons for the bath (Evie), wooden trucks for the boys to make with Daddy, and Play Doh. Evie also blessed us all with notes or a little toy she make for each of us and put in our stockings. So creative that one!

We had such a great time together and the children seemed to be just as excited about what the others had gotten as they were for themselves!

And finally, this was the scene at our house this morning. All three of the older ones sitting on Ward's sleeping bag reading. They couldn't wait to finish breakfast to read their new books. Warms my heart!