Christmas Un-Wrap-a-Thon

Christmas morn was greeted with a shadow of Grace in the dark beside my bed, asking if it was time to get up. As dark as it was, Grace had thankfully slept in until 7:15am. I mumbled something like "Go get dressed and make your bed first.", to stall and get a few more minutes of sleep under our belts. Jack was still out like a light when I managed to clammer out of bed, so I stalled Grace longer with a shower. Poor Grace, she was so good, but about ready to bust at the seams with the prolonged stalls.

By 8:15 everyone was pounding down the stairs to check the cookie plate for evidence that a foreign presence had entered the house. The children stampeded down one more flight of stairs, in search of a second confirmation - and lo, Santa had indeed been there and indeed found our tree in the basement. After unwrapping a few traditions hidden in the stockings (Christmas socks, Pez, and a Book of Lifesavers), we were able to con the children into one more stall. Ken let the children unwrap one special Santa gift which was a new Bible that had a good reading of the birth of Christ. So the kids snuggled with Dad as he read, while I cooked and iced the cinnamon rolls. After a doughy and gooey breakfast (took the buns out too early), we rolled our bellies back down the stairs.

Santas gifts are very special, so naturally, the kids wanted to open them first. Grace's gift from Santa was a very nice electric keyboard:


Jack's gifts were a motorized Percy to replace a badly beaten up and sandy motorized Lady:


Jack also received a child sized guitar. Can you see what plans the parents have in place for 2006?? That's right, music lessons here we come.


There were many, many, many good gifts this year. The children have enough board games to make them go cross-eyed, and they also a have healthy supply of outside supplies: soccer cones, a goal post, hopscotch mat, Jack's first ball and glove, batting tee. One outside gift, two hop-a-longs (large balls with a handle), have become a source of major indoor entertainment. The children are doing hop-a-long races around the house. It has been great exercise.

More highlights for the children include a Fast Lane car race track, a series of Paul Goble books, and a 2 foot long tank for Jack. Below is Jack revisiting his top rated book for 2005 "The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses", and pouring over the new sounds and songs of his tank.

The rest of the day was spent in recovery mode for the parents as we tag teamed naps in. By 7:00pm the children were toast and put in their beds for a little recovery of their own. Then it was our turn to play with our new toys (and the children's toys). And what would a relaxing night be for two homebodies without Sunday night football, a couple of episodes from 24 (series 4, Netflix style), and a sack of Starbursts at our side?

Thank you to all of our family for your generous and thoughtful gifts. We missed you greatly this year. But it sure was nice without any of you here. ** a little inside joke on Ken's side of the family. **