Our Christmas day
Here is a family picture - left to right - Big Jacob (who appears shorter than Andi, but is about 4 inches taller than she is), Andi, Bill, me, Zac Andie - in front, Wesley, Jacob, Ryan and Carly. We all had a nice day. After church, we came home and had our traditional Christmas breakfast. We started opening our gifts about 1:30 after Carly read from the Bible. She did a great job. I guess it will be Wesley's turn next year and by then Ryan should be ready after that.
The treasure hunt gift was finally found. It was the last present - way back in the corner under the tree. They enjoyed doing the clues this new Bible way - but next year I will have to have fewer clues or a longer afternoon. Getting started after church put a time crunch on some things. So the present I had replaced it with was a DVD/VCR combo for the playroom.
The kids loved all their gifts. The little guys got a Leapster and some games and Jacob got a camera. We are getting ready to study Indians and Kings & Queens, so they all got a costume to go along with our school studies. Those were a big hit. Pappaw and Nana bought the Kings and Queen ones. Zac and Andi bought the boys swords and a tiara for Carly to go along with their costumes. The little kids all loved their Comfy Couch Academy clothes and bookbags too. Ryan wanted to know how Santa knew what school he went to.
Wes got a Jeff Gordon fleece blanket and Jacob a Duke one. Ryan got a Woody doll from Toy Story and Carly was dazzled by all her new jewels and make-up. The kids got an Othello game and a Trouble game too. They also got hooded towels with different characters on them from Andi and Jacob. They loved those. It's almost like having another costume.
Andi and Big Guy got things for their new house and a way cool Duke flag to hang out front. It is fun to shop for them because they like all sorts of weird things. She got several gnomes because she wanted one particular one and I kept buying others that I thought she would like since I couldn't find the "one" -- and then after all the others were bought, I found it. So she can sit up a whole gnome village if she wants. Big Jacob got a shirt in honor of one of his favorite drink - TAB - (gross) and The Princess Bride movie. I know that could start a whole discussion, but having seen the movie - I just think it's stupid.
Zac got mainly clothes - which he always needs because he is not one to keep track of his clothes that well. But as he says, he loves a shirt with a witty saying - so he is pretty easy to shop for too. His girlfriend, Andie, was here for her first Christmas and she went home with a new Bible, purse, billfold and several other gifts. Zac also got her a necklace with a heart on it and she was totally surprised by that. Ahhh, young love.
I think this is the first year in my memory that I did not peek at ANY of my gifts. Bill was not supposed to get me any gifts because he got me a new computer, but he did anyway. I got a new Wusthof Chef's knife and a sharpener. He got me one of these knives last year too and they are GREAT! I got a new mixer too. I'm not one of those women who don't like getting kitchen things for gifts. I love kitchen things. And tools. In the great tool category, Billski bought me a new Black and Decker Auto Tape line. It is so cool. He also got me an overnight bag for those few nights I actually go somewhere overnight without kids. It is really pretty. Bill braved the traffic the other day to go to Cracker Barrel and buy fresh French Vanilla taffy bars for my stocking. Gosh, that man loves me so.
And socks - man I got socks. If I was a gazillionair, I would wear new socks every day. New white socks. I love them. Zac and Andie got me about 30 new pair of socks. I had several pair in my stocking too. Andi and Big Guy bought me this wonderfully cozy, huge, cardigan sweater. The kind you can just wrap up in and cuddle down in. It's great!
Bill was surprised by his gift too. A remote control airplane. He really couldn't believe it. He also got things like new tennis shoes and a really warm fuzzy blanket and some leather gloves - but his plane was a total surprise.
As a final "gift" to me, Zac and Andie took down and put away the Christmas tree and all the Christmas decorations, vacuumed the floor and moved my recliner back into its' appointed spot. That will be so nice - to wake up in the morning and have nothing to do but get about the business of everyday life.
Here are some picture of the kids in their new costumes.
