Christmas Day

I take so many photos during the Christmas season and although most of them are poor quality (indoor, dark lighting, snapshots)...I really treasure every single one. So, the last few years I have made a Christmas video that our family watches on New Year's Eve. I will share it here (it is almost done) but I am also posting photos of Christmas Day because I know most of you will not want to sit through that video and I don't blame you:)

On Christmas morning (at abut 6:30), I heard the boys talking in Harry's room. They had a plan. See, we take turns opening gifts as the whole family watches. So, Kate opens a gift and then Harry and then Will and the Mom and then Dad. It teaches the kids patience and gratitude but it takes a long time. Anyway, their plan was to look for a gift that might look like a DS for Will and let him go first so that he could immediately charge it and they could play together later in the day.

We woke up little Miss Katie Ru at 7:00 and down the stairs we went....

Kate was still 1/2 asleep but she was excited about her pink kitchen. All she asked Santa for was a pink kitchen and a yo-yo.....

Dave gave her some yo-yo lessons after breakfast and she caught on rather well. Her biggest challenge is her height at this age:) And she is tall for her age!

Kate also loved her Princess make-up kit from Aunt Dooney, her pink tea kettle from Mimi, apron from Ruby and Ainsley and kitchen stuff from fairy Godmother, Staci! Her pile was quite pink this year (see above).

Will opened his DS first. He had one but it was lost in our move a year and a half ago.

He was thrilled with movie tickets in his stocking to go see Avatar with Dad. They saw it last night and loved it.

Will is obsessed with bacon and found some bacon gumballs in his stocking. He also loved his nerf guns, pottery wheel and DS games.

Harry loved his nerf gun...

and his watercolor set.

Here he is thanking Dad for tickets for the two of them to a hockey game.

He also got several DS games that he has played with quite a bit. I force him to take breaks. My kids never ask for much for Christmas. Harry had two things on his list and I think Will had five on his. I can honestly say that we do not go overboard at Christmas and I am so glad.

Harry knows how much I love a foot massage. He saw this and bought it for me with his own money. Please excuse my first morning no make-up look. I was thrilled with his selecton!

Will made me a beautiful pink and green star sculpture star. I did not get a photo of it but will take one soon. I love it.

Every Christmas we have the same things for breakfast~a baked french toast casserole and an egg, cheese and sausage strata. I alter them to make them gluten free but they are a yummy favorite family tradition.

After breakfast, Dave painted Kate's nails with her new purple "sprinkly" (she means sparkly) nail polish. Is he the GREATEST or what?

Kate's yo-yo lesson. Dave is a very patient teacher.

In the afternoon, we headed over to Uncle Joe's and Aunt Wakita's house...

The kids wrestled with cousin Jamie.

Kate tried to Judo flip Harry. She has picked up quite a bit by watching the boys.

We hung out with cousin Olivia too. Olivia, Kate and I played a painfully long game of Princess Memory. Let's just say Kate is a little like Dory.

A few more presents were opened and

hugs were given.

We had a fabulously delicious dinner!

We were treated to a lovely after dinner concert.

And we posed for a few family photos.

We had a really wonderful Christmas. I am so glad this post is done. It exhausted me! I am quite impressed if you made it this far.