Christmas Day 2012 {finally}

This post is a gift to those of you who are feeling a little behind in life. You should feel better about yourselves as I am sure you are much more on top of things than me.  Can you believe tomorrow is FEBRUARY and I am just now getting around to posting our photos from Christmas Day?  I am a little embarrassed to be posting these now. When did I turn into this person whose house is a mess all the time and who does not have time to post photos of family traditions that are super important?

To be fair, life is really crazy here at the moment. First, I am LOVING working more (and out of my new office).  I am so happy to say that I am building a nice new clientele (in addition to my former clients).  And I can pay my first month rent without having to dip into savings.  I did not think that would happen so quickly!  I adore helping people with their relationships, family life, parenting and marriage.  It never feels like work to me.

Secondly, we did sign Kate up for the competition team at her gym.  It is a big time commitment but she REALLY wants to do it (for now).  I am not sure how I will figure it all out but she has the passion, desire and talent to do it. So I don't want to hold her back.  It is a bit hard for me though because deep down, I feel like this age is too young to focus so much on one sport.  I really hate the way our society has forced kids to "specialize" at such a young age but that is an entire post for another day.  She is going to take a break from violin but since ballet falls on a non-gym day, we are going to finish out the semester with that.  We will just take this all day by day.

And Harry.  We are trying a new treatment recommended by his neurologist in a city far away from us. It is going to be a HUGE time commitment too. HUGE.  Ironically, the treatment is something I need as well so we will both be getting it together.  More on that soon too.

So, I doubt you all want to see our Christmas photos at this point but I have posted them every year so I want them here for our family memories.  I warn you, there will be tons of photos.  I like to look back on each year and remember what everyone got and what we did.

Kate and Harry woke up quite early (dark o clock) and I came downstairs, started coffee, plugged in the lights and heated the oven for breakfast all the while trying to give Dave and Will a little more time to sleep.  

Just before the kids came down

Will was NOT happy to be woken up but I really like for us all to open gifts as a family and have breakfast as a family on Christmas day.

Kate gets the first peek at the loot.

Harry takes a peek too.

I will never tire of the coming down the stairs on Christmas morning photos:)

I think Harry is taking an instagram here:)



Santa surprised Kate with some roller skates...


Will got some very cool Nikes he had been wanting.
He spends too much time on the Nike site.  Seriously.




And Santa bought Harry a much anticipated long board...



Harry gave Dave some of his favorite Texas BBQ sauces.



Harry gave Kate a little knitting kit.  She wants to knit SO badly but I have no clue how to teach her.







Can you tell she loved it?

One of Harry's surprise little gifts was a UVA La Crosse shirt.  He loves it.



Along those same lines, Will gave Dave a Jesuit swim team T.  Will is on swim team and water polo:)




Harry is a master at card tricks, so Kate bought him a little card trick set...





I surprised Will with this sweatshirt and he loved it.
Although the "G" had fallen off so we need to call them and exchange it.



Will also got slippers, some clothes and books (he loves to read) and new golf clubs.



Kate got an American Girl doll, McKenna. McKenna is a gymnast and Kate really loves her story.



Kate asked for two things: the American Girl Doll and a sewing machine.





She had asked for a little toy sewing machine but it was almost as expensive and a "real" sewing machine so Santa opted for the real deal.  We have sewn two pillows and are working on bedding for her American Girl Doll (post coming).

Love this book for Harry...




And I got the BEST deal on a Nook HD for Harry.  It was a good gift.

He has been reading more since he got it.

 His other big gift was a new LAX stick.



We all had a yummy breakfast and hung out until the cousins (and Uncle Joe and Aunt Waukita) came over for dinner...







After dinner, Kate, Olivia and Aunt Waukita decorated some sugar cookies that they had made.  Kate loved it so much that Aunt Waukita came the next day to do more with her:)







Harry was intrigued by it all...



Our 3 peanuts simply ADORE their cousins!









And the whole gang...




Once again it was a very nice Christmas.  I missed my Mom and my sisters and their families as I always do.  But the kids were very happy all day and we had fun!

P.S. I got a few great videos of the kids that I have tried to upload but neither FLickr nor Vimeo will upload them.  They say they are too small to be videos.  What?!  Any suggestions?