Christmas Morning at Our House

Santa came to our house on Christmas Eve.  He got there about 10:30 and didn't get finished until almost 1:00am.

Kanin woke me up at 3:30am to open Christmas presents.  I told him to go back to sleep but by 6:30 he just could not wait any longer so we woke up GracieAnn and Caleb and headed downstairs.

The first thing the kids saw was the presents Santa Claus left.

This keyboard was a huge hit with all three kids.  Santa should have brought one for each kid.  Santa picked this gem up on Black Monday from JCPenney for $25 (normally $59).  Woohoo!

I got this Tom Brady jersey kind of as a joke for Scott.  Tom Brady has been his fantasy football quarterback for the last two years.  Scott won the championship last year and he is in the championships again this year.  He kept saying he was going to get a Tom Brady jersey because he is "The Man."

I got a lot of really great gifts this year but I honestly think my favorite gift was the new Rachel Ray 14 piece pots and pans set.  I was so excited!

The last gift was a PS3 for the whole family.  Scott and Kanin were both excited to get this.


After opening presents, we got dressed and headed out to the Ameristar Casino for their Christmas Champagne brunch.

These pics were taken with my new Sony Bloggie

After the casino we came back home and while the kids played with their new toys, Scott and I just laid around and relaxed.  Perfect day!

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Christmas Eve at Deb and Dave's 2010

Christmas Eve started off by waking up to snow on the ground and still falling.  I mean huge, stick-your-tongue out and catch it kind of snow.  It snowed all day long and in to the night.

We went to church at 4:00.  At the end of the service we did a candlelight service where everyone had a candle and the flame is passed around.  The lights were turned off and we sang "Silent Night."  This year Kanin got his own candle and he was so proud.  I told him to keep it really still and I couldn't help but laugh at him as he held on with both hands and really concentrated on that candle.  I wanted to snap a picture of him but that would just be wrong.  LOL

After church we headed over to Deb and Dave's house (Scott's sister and brother-in-law) to eat and open gifts.

Here is the closest thing to a good picture that I got of all three kids together.

These two posed all night.

See that scratch/bruise above her face?  She walked into the car door right as I was opening it.  I felt horrible!

Caleb loved the train under the tree.  It whistled and blew smoke.  It went forward and backwards and he really got a kick running it all night.

I was trying to take some pics on the "Manual" setting with no flash.  

Here is Debbie (Scott's sister) helping Caleb with the train. 

Picture of the tree with no flash.

My sweetheart.

Here is our niece, Mindi.  She has lost 36lbs recently.  So proud of her!

Our nieces and nephew:  Alissa, Daryl, & Kelsey (we are missing some from this pic)

Kanin lost another tooth on Christmas Eve so the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus came.  What a lucky boy!

Daryl is in the Navy and recently got home from Iraq.  He gave his Dad and Michele a new Navy flag to fly in front of their house.

"Is it our turn to open presents?"

It is our family's tradition that all adults buy presents for all kids ages 18 (or still in high school) and under.  My kids were the only littles there that night but as you can see, they "racked" up.

Since watching the World Cup this summer and playing soccer on his own team, Kanin is really into soccer jerseys.  Here is a new Honduras one from She-She (Scott's sister, Sherri) & John.

New pajamas from Debbie and Dave

After opening presents we always take individual family pictures and then one picture with everyone in it.

Here is Nene (Dayna), Kelsey and Jeff (Scott's brother)

Michele, Rick (Scott's brother), Mindi and Daryl

Debbie (Scott's sister), Alissa and David. 

Here is my circus.

I could not figure out how to work the timer on my camera so I will have to post the big family pic later after I get it from Scott's brother.

After eating and taking our family pics and eating, I changed the kids into the Christmas pajamas.

Alissa changed into her Christmas pj's, too.

How cute is he?

Caleb refused to sit in front of the tree with brother and sister so this was the only way I could get a picture of all three of them.

After the kids opened their presents, we played an adult game.  This is the first year that the adults didn't draw names; instead, every adult brought a $25 gift card.  We then sat in a circle and Rick read  "Twas the Night Before Christmas" but it is a pass around game.  Every time the reader says "right" you pass your gift to the right and when he says "left" you pass to the left.  Since we usually have extended family or friends show up on Christmas Eve, everyone who brings a gift card gets to play.  It really was a lot of fun.  I ended up with a $25 gift card to Dierberg's (a grocery store) and Scott got a $25 gift card to Kohl's.

Finally, after all of the presents and games were over, we sang Happy Birthday to Daryl.  Daryl (and my mom) is a Christmas Eve baby.

 

It was another year of great memories.  Of course, we missed our family who couldn't be there. 

Our family in Chicago: Sherri, John, Susie, Doug, Kyleen & Kenzie.

Our family who we have to share with other family:  Sarah, Kurt, Ben, Ian & Emma.

Our family who is currently serving in the Marines in Afghanistan:  Paul

Hopefully, one day we will all be together again!

An Early Christmas Present

I woke up this morning and made Rum and Egg Nog French Toast for the family.  (Try it, it is good!)  So, while we are eating Scott asked me if I wanted to open up a present early.  "No, I'll wait," I tell him.  Waiting until Christmas Day goes back to childhood with me . . .

Growing up we always went to my grandparents' house on Christmas Day.  I mean, we got up and left the house by about 9:00am.  Because we always went to the grandparents' house, my parents decided that we would open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve so that we didn't have to get up, open presents and then leave them all day long.  The problem (although I didn't think it was a problem at the time), though, was that we usually never even made it to Christmas Eve to open the presents.  When we were in high school we waited but I remember being in elementary school and several years the day we were let out of school for Christmas break, we would open our presents.  The logic, which is actually a pretty good one, was why waste four days of Christmas break when there are tons of new toys to play with waiting under the tree.  My dad was always so excited to see us open our presents that he could never wait.  As we got older, my sister and I were able to hold our excitement and just wait until Christmas Eve.  Even though that was our tradition, I always wanted to wait until Christmas morning and then run out and tear open gifts.  You know, like what you see in the movies.

Ok, fast forward back to this morning. 

So, Scott asked me if I wanted to open a present early and I said no.  As day the went on, we were starting to get prepared for tonight and Scott still hadn't bought his gift card for the adult exchange..  He said he was going to run out and get it real quick so I asked him if he would go to Walgreen's and pick up a video tape.  "For what?" he asked.

"So I can video the kids tomorrow morning," I told him.

"Do you want to open up one of your presents early?" he asked me again. 

"What is with this guy," I thought.  "No, I don't."

"Come on," he said.

"Fine," I said.  "Clearly, he is not going to give up on this."

So, he goes and gets the present and guess what it is?

A Sony Bloggie Touch!

How cool is that?  I can take 4 hours of video and send it directly to You Tube or Facebook.  I can take still pictures and it is in full HD.

"See," he said.  "I told you that you wanted to open a present.  Now, I don't have to go to Walgreen's." 

Santa Claus Tracker

Every year we track Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.  Scott and I (Mr. and Mrs. Claus) stay up until Santa hits St. Louis . . . yes, that is my idea.  LOL

If you and your family want to get in on the fun, you can find it here:  Norda Santa

Giving In

The Weekend Wander blog hop has started early because of the holiday and will be up until Monday.  If you'd like to meet some new friends, then click on the link below:    We have had a Santa Claus dilemma occur in this house.  What would you do?  A few years ago I bought Scott a PS3 for Christmas.  He is not a "gamer" but after football season is over and before basebal season starts (and on nights when the Blues aren't playing), he likes to play his games.  This past summer Kanin started playing World Cup Soccer on it, too.  Well, the PS3 broke a couple of months ago and both Scott and Kanin were upset abou Kanin has asked and askt it.  Scott ordered some kind of kit to try to fix it but it didn't work.  Anyway, Kanin has asked for one for Christmas.  He tells Chucky (our Elf) everyday how bad he wants a PS3.  

Picture from Play Station The dilemma . . . I don't think he has been "good" enough to get such a pricey gift but it was Scott's to begin with and I know that he really wants one, too.  I actually told Kanin a couple of weeks ago that he was not getting one and that I had told Santa not to get him one because of his attitude and behavior. Before the behavior thing, my plan was to surprise Scott and Kanin with one for Christmas.  I had been putting money aside so that Scott wouldn't see such a big purchase come out of the checking account.  While in Vegas, though, Scott noticed that I kept hoarding chips and wasn't really playing a whole lot.  I finally broke down and told him that I was trying to surprise him with the PS3 Move and he told me not to worry about it that he would put it on the Best Buy card.   Problem solved . . . until the bad boy behavior. So, here we are the day before Santa comes and I told Scott to go buy the PS3.  I just felt bad that Scott wasn't going to get his Christmas present because of Kanin's issues so I guess, in essence, Kanin will be getting a PS3. Did I totally mess up?  

Merry Christmas From the Westerhold's

I truly wish all of you, my blogging friends, the happiest Christmas ever.  You all have brightened up my days in so many ways and I cannot repay you the joy you have given me over the past few weeks.  It has been a blessing getting to know each of you through your stories and pictures.  May God Bless you in 2011!