Christmas in Delaware

Well, we did it! We actually celebrated the biggest holiday here alone with only our sweet little family of five. We had a truly joyous and special Christmas. We didn't start any new and exciting traditions (although we did continue some as we had in years past). We skipped out on some of our plans such as Christams Eve. worship at church and a "real" Christmas dinner. But we had so much fun celebrating with our little guys. It was a magical Christmas even thousands of miles from Texas.

Christmas Eve. day Cooper finally understood that Christmas was going to be tomorrow, a concept he reffers to as t"the next time we wake up" at about 11am. So starting at about 11:02 he began trying to set out cookies for Santa. He wanted them on a plate on the floor in front of the tree. We had to keep putting the cookies up until bedtime and he was so thrilled that he actually got to do this task by himself! Austen's job was pouring the milk. He wanted to heat it up, but we decided that if it sat out a bit it may be better than actually being warm...whatever Milk is gross no matter what...it would have ended up down the sink drain either way(smile). We tracked Santa's progress around the globe through the website we have always used, www.noradsanta.org. The boys each got to open one gift and I chose a gift from my parents becasue I knew it contained matching pajamas...doesn't everyone get new matching pj's for Xmas eve.? They looked so cute all matching. And my mom even sent a pair for me too so we got some cute pics. When Santa headed for North America (at 7pm)Austen announced he was exhausted and ready for bed. He was so cute...so eager! Coop was a whole different story. That little goober stayed awake until allmost 1:00 in the morning. Chris and I were still wrapping at 2...yikes! Jamie Pie actually slept throught the night, miraculous!

Austen awoke at 7ish Christmas morning, but didn't come up to us until 7:30, as is our rule. It took him almost an hour to get Coopie to wake up. He wasn't having any of it and he told us that it couldn't be Christmas becasue there wasn't any snow on the ground. We told him to go to the living room downstairs and retrieve his stocking and then tell us what he thought after that. He was so excited to come up and tell us that Santa had visited and there were lots of presents under the tree. We all spent about an hour in my bed opening stockings and cuddling. I insisted, much to Austen's disamy that they open gifts one at a time and take turns so we could all enjoy seeing their wonderful presents. It worked out great and took us quite a while. I'm making that a new Christmas rule...it is so much better than them tearing into everything fast and us not even realizing what they have received and from whom. Let me tell you...these boys have been spoiled beyond belief! Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Santa......WOW! We are Toys R Us central! It was such a fun day together and we had so much fun PLAYING...all of us! So our first Christmas experience away from our beloved families was surprisingly really nice. Although I do hope that there aren't many more (smile). And I think it helped that Jack and Carla and Bea were just here a few days before and I was on the phone with my mom and dad every hour all day. I read three books in two days.Unbelieveable! for me anyway.

Today Chris went back to work and the boys and I stayed in our pj's all day. They were quiet and played nicely all day long...not one fight. At one point Cooper came to tell me that Austen wasn't playing the game he had agreed to and Austen overheard him from downstairs. He called up and said he had been waiting for Coop downsatirs and had it all set up for them. I felt like I was in that mattress commercial where the lasy dreams of her kids getting along, you know the one??? So my point is, It was a super day today, too.

I have lots of pictures to share and Carla and Jack gave me a cool Flip Video camera so I have video too! Thanks Laura for turning me onto that thing. It is the coolest little camera ever especially for moms and bloggers...google it if you want to learn more...honestly, awesome! So tomorrow I will get my photos and videos uploaded so I can post them. It is super late and I need to get to bed. We took down the tree tonight and rearranged furniture again, so I have been cleaning up some. I have been such a bad blogger lately. I think I have been a bit down in the dumps and was feeling anxious about the holidays and all. I don't like to blog if I don't feel happy or feel like I have sopmething fun to say. I am feeling better now and hopefully I will be better in my blogging (smile). Oky folkls...tomorrow=pictures, video and whatever else I can recall from our delaware Christmas, unconventional as it may have been in some ways. XOXOXOX Sweet Dreams!