Christmas 2010

Like I said earlier, I have most definitely not been in a picture-taking mood and sadly that was the same for Christmas... I knew I would regret it later, but at the time is still wasn't enough motivation to pull my camera out of it's bag. I took a couple of pictures Christmas morning, but that's it.

And I was right, I really do regret it.

Anyway, we had a great Christmas break!

Ally's last day if school was on the 21st... unfortunately we got almost two feet of snow that day. We told her she could stay home, but of course she didn't want to.
Alex trying to dig us out.

The we went to her school to see her sing her Christmas song.

Then we came back and about an hour after that it was time for me to head back to her school, since I was in charge of her class Christmas party... but the roads were just too bad to drive on. Luckily we only live a couple of blocks from the school... but man did I get a workout! Remember it was almost 2 feet deep? So I had to trudge through it, carrying Devin because it was too deep for him to walk in, a backpack full of treats for Ally's class and a present for her teacher. I really wasn't sure I was going to make it!
Here is a picture of what my sister helped me make for presents. The small one is for Ally's teacher and the bigger one was for Alex's step-mom.

(My sister made one for Ally for her birthday as a scripture carrying case... now I just want to make me one!!!)

Alex's birthday was on the 22nd and he had it off work. (He actually had Dec. 22-27 off which was incredible!) But my parents came for dinner and watched the kids so we could go see TRON... Alex liked it, but I was SO bored and it felt like it would never end!

On Christmas Eve we do our usual extremely busy day. We woke up and Ally helped clean the entire house so she could open a couple of presents. He, he, he I love that tradition!
Devin had a fever for 2 days before (and was up all night which added to my exhaustion and no-desire to take pictures on Christmas Eve). He got an extension to his railroad set from Ally and while he loved it, he didn't feel well enough to do anything but this:

(See the blanket in the picture? He got it for Christmas Eve from us... it's his "dump truck blankie" and man I already hate that thing! He was never attached to a blanket before but he is obsesses with that thing now and won't go to sleep without it! Why did I ever get it for him!?)

By noon we were out the door and on our way to "Aunt" Kristie's house, to celebrate with Alex's side of the family. We had fabulous food there and it was fun to see everyone... but time was too short and we had to hurry and leave to go visit my side of the family. Again, the food was too yummy and we had a lot of fun, playing Bingo, opening presents, and drinking the traditional red and green Sprite. The grandkids all opened their matching pajamas too. The we left really late to head home to wait for Santa.

This is the first year that Ally knew there was no Santa bringing her presents... I wasn't prepared for the little sadness that accompanied her realization. She is just growing up too fast and I still want her to stay little.

Christmas morning my parents drove down to watch the kids open their presents. They were thoroughly spoiled, of course, and it was great. Ally wanted to rip through her presents and Devin took forever because he wanted every new thing opened and played with before he could move on. Ally's favorite was her new skateboard and scooter and I'm not sure what Devin's favorite toy from Santa was... maybe the package of M&M's... no, he loved it all and played with all of it. The we spent the rest of Christmas day relaxing at home and letting the kids play with their presents.

I end with the few pictures I took of Christmas morning, and while I do regret all the pictures I missed, I am still very thankful for the magic of Christmas that I can feel without an actual photograph to remember it.