Merry Christmas!!!!!!

I can't believe that Christmas Day is finally here! It always seems like we anticipate this day for so long and then it's over so quickly.

Our day started at about 7:00 when Miss Annlee got up - that's sleeping late for her! Kaylin came into our room about 7:15 and they were able to wait about 2 minutes before deciding that we needed to go wake up Maryella. She was sound asleep when I went in to get her. She looked up and I told her Merry Christmas and the first thing she wanted to know was if Santa was here. She had been worried about Santa coming into her house. I suppose that is a bit unnerving if you don't understand the whole process to well.

While trying to get a bit of video of them waiting to go into the living room, we discovered that the video tape was full in the camera. Jeff went on a fruitless search to find a new one and I snapped this picture of the girls waiting in the hallway. It didn't take long before Maryella decided she had had enough and was ready to see what the excitement was all about.

So we checked out the cookie plate first - always a highlight of the morning. The girls decided he must have been eating tons of cookies and gotten full, because he didn't quite finish the cookies on the plate.

The stockings were next to be investigated. This was a hit for Maryella, as she had asked for candy for Christmas. She ate one piece before I could stop her and could barely get through the rest of the morning without eating more. It was torture for her.

Next, we moved to the other living room to see what else Santa had left. He was pretty good to the girls this year. For the 3 of them together, he left a nice wooden vanity complete with fake makeup and fun beauty shop supplies, a robotic dog named Lucky, the Kerplunk game, and the movie, Annie.

Each of the girls also had a small stash of their own with one main gift from Santa. Kaylin got a Hannah Montana guitar that she hasn't put down since. Annlee got a Crayola Glow Station and Maryella got a baby doll in a stroller.

Then it was time to move on to the wrapped gifts. The girls got 2 outfits - one skirt or dress and one jeans outfit each. They each got a movie - Madagascar, Little Mermaid Beginnings, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. They each got a toy from Mama and Daddy - an ice cream sandwich maker for Kaylin, a doll that swims for Annlee, and a Fisher-price laptop for Maryella. They also each got a gift from their sisters - a craft kit to make your own bouncy balls for K, a watch for A, and dress up shoes for M. Jeff and I also got plenty of nice things - lots of fishing supplies, pictures for his desk, and an outdoor Christmas tree for Jeff. Some new pjs, a necklace, earrings, broom vac, and Jim Shore angel for me.

So all in all, I believe, they would agree that they had a great Christmas. After all the gifting was complete, we relaxed and they played for awhile. We opened boxes, put in batteries, and tried to train a very stubborn robotic dog (at this point, I wouldn't recommend Lucky). The girls decorated a birthday cake for Jesus and we got lunch ready. After eating, the girls were due for a nice long rest time. Now they are up again and playing with all the new toys. So far, Maryella hasn't asked for anymore candy, a very good thing considering the state of her diaper after binging on several pieces of chocolate, a chocolate sucker, some gummies, runts and goldfish before lunch. Hey, it's Christmas - if you can't let them eat candy today, when can you?