Christmas Joy

What a wonderful Christmas we have had this year! We are blessed in so many ways, but most of all to have the ability to spend it with the ones we love! Christmas Eve, we enjoyed staying at home, reading the Christmas story out of the book of Luke, watching some Christmas cartoons, and watching the Celtic Women sing Christmas carols. Brooke was sure they were princesses singing the "Baby Jesus" song she knows (Silent Night). She was mesmerized by them and clapped after every song!

When I was a child, one of our Christmas traditions was to open a gift on Christmas Eve. I can only think of one or two years that this gift was not a new set of pajamas, usually handmade by my mom. Although I have never made pajamas, I loved this tradition and continue it with Brooke. She opened her Disney Princess pj's on Christmas Eve and loved them, but wouldn't let me take her picture for anything.

Christmas morning, we opened our presents at home. We kept Christmas really small this year and Brooke could not have cared less. She was thrilled with her new Cabbage Patch baby named Brandy and a Dora puzzle.

One of Brooke's favorite parts about this Christmas was getting to open Summer's presents for her.

Showing off Brandy and Christa (Summer's Cabbage Patch baby)

After spending the morning at home we went to see family. We went to Jesika and Patrick's to hang out for a bit and let Hannah and Brooke exchange gifts. Then we went to my parents' to do gifts there. By this point, Brooke had opened presents so many different times she couldn't believe there was more. When we'd tell her to open one, she would ask, "It's for myself?"

My sister and bro-in-law picked a great gift for Bill. A Snufleupagus hat and a t-shirt that says, "You don't have to be crazy to work here. They'll train you." For those of you who don't know, he works at a state mental hospital..hehe...and I've always called him Snuffy because of his insanely long eyelashes that point straight down.

Amongst many other things, Brooke was really excited about this new board game.

Papa helped Summer open some presents

The two babies hanging out with Grammy and their new chew toys

We had a great afternoon hanging out with the Wood side of the family and the kids had a great time playing in the snow...another post on that later.

On Saturday, Larry and Vickie (Papa and Mema) came in from McAlester and we all got together at Jesika's again. It was a last minute trip, so again, Brooke couldn't believe there was more. She was thrilled again over everything.

Along with a set of Play-doh and a Tinkerbell doll, she got her very first Barbie from one of her aunts

And a really cute Tinkerbell treasure chest of dress up clothes. She's been Tinkerbell or one of Tink's friends since!