Ainge family: Merry Christmas 2010

So it's March....what's your point? As if I NEED to point out the fact that I am way behind on my blogging. At least I'm getting to it!

Christmas in our household is always a drawn out affair. We have found it impossible to keep the kids present-opening to one day, so we have given up all attempts to control it. We basically have a full month of present opening. Maybe we are Jewish in disguise????? Who knows. The kids love it and I've come to terms with it and realized it is not that big of a deal- I can't think of any reason it would be hurting them, so who cares if it's not normal.

So, a few weeks before Christmas Grandma Ainge always has a Christmas party at her house for the entire family. It is one of my favorite things, I look forward to it all year. Unfortunately, we are the ONLY part of the family that doesn't live in Utah, so we don't get to go every year, which was the case this year. There was simply too much going on for a quick trip up north. We try to make it most years, but it's not always possible.

Since we weren't able to go to the party Grandma Ainge mailed the Santa gifts for the kids to us. Ryan and I decided it would be only fair for the kids to open the presents the day of the party. They were SO excited. Each of the kids got jammies and a pillow pet. Madison was jumping up and down for joy since she had been begging us to get her one.

Madison got a Unicorn

Hunter got a Dog

and Presley got a Ladybug

Hunter saw the ladybug and decided he just HAD to have it, so since Presley is pretty used to getting everything taken away, she ended up with the dog. Poor little girl, I'm sure I'm giving her complex after complex.

Just to brag a little bit here, I actually did put up a Christmas tree this year. Yep, that's right, I made the time to do it. See, for a little back story, last year (to the great consternation of my mother-in-law) we did NOT put our tree up. I couldn't do it, I was late into my pregnancy, we had too much going on, we went to Utah twice in one month, plus we actually spent Christmas there, so it just never happened. Sometimes priorities shift when you are 200 months pregnant and barely surviving at it is. But this year we were spending Christmas at home, so I had to put it up (and I did so gladly).

That's right, it was our very first Christmas at our own house, with just our little family. I was so excited I couldn't hardly contain myself. Not that I don't love spending time with family, but I was so excited to create our traditions and have time together just us. I love my little family and really enjoyed our time together.

We read the Christmas story in Luke and used our Nativity so the kids could help

Then we sorted all the presents and grabbed pictures with them. Oooh, the suspense....

And here is what they opened on Christmas Eve, that's right, see, Scandinavians and Germans traditionally open family presents on Christmas Eve and then just the Santa presents on Christmas morning. I always liked it this way because, (a) it drew out the joys of opening presents, and (b) the Santa presents were just a little bit more special. Santa brings all the really good, big presents. I don't think I knew that the rest of the world opened everything up on Christmas morning until I was in high school.

They even got to finally see what was in the big wrapped boxes that had been sitting on the floor for a month. I threatened them with no Santa and no big present if they opened it or played on it.

What was it????? A swingset from the Grandparents Ainge.

After we opened the presents, we:

Made sure the stockings were hung

Made sure Fred, our Elf on the Shelf, was in place to report to Santa

Made sure the cookies for Santa were made (he requested Chocolate Chip this year)

And maybe had a few licks along the way.....

Or maybe even a more than a few.....

But have no fear! We accomplished the cookies for Santa! In the shape of snowmen

Mommy even added some carrots for the reindeer later

We couldn't make cookies for Santa and not eat some ourselves!

We put on our Christmas jammies and went off to bed.....

Since all the kids were *ahem* "good little boys and girls" this year, Santa brought them each their most requested present

a beauty salon for Madison

a train set for Hunter

a fun bunch of toys for Presley, she's easy

On Christmas day Hunter woke up sick (with and ear infection he ended up having for 3 months that took 3 rounds of antibiotics +2 antibiotic shots to clear up) so he cried and slept most of the day.

And Presley just wanted to play with all the boxes

Whew! Christmas was exhausting for me! The kids were finally finished.....well, until my parents arrived later in the day and they got to open a few more. Seriously, do you see how it never ends for us????? I'm not complaining, trust me, I just am forever trying to get the kids all together and hold still to open a little here, and a little there. I'll just shut up now, I'm pretty sure I'm just digging myself into a further hole.