A Crafty Day

After the long holiday weekend we were all a bit exhausted and decided the best thing to do today was to spend it at home playing with some of the presents!

At their new table (bought with money sent for a gift for them from Grandma Sperano) playing with the play-doh santa brought. Lauren is a VERY serious play-doh player!

Michael enjoyed it too but really wanted to eat it.

He got a little bored with the play-doh and I was getting sick of stopping him from eating it so while Lauren continued to play Michael moved on to coloring. (Lauren played with the play-doh quietly for almost an hour!)

After play-doh Lauren wanted to use her ENORMOUS Disney Princess Art Set she got for Christmas from Granny and Pop Pop (who live in a bus- if you ask her who they are!)  Once again she was extremely serious while she drew.

Michael really wanted to get his hands on it!

Christmas Dinner

After nap time we headed over to my moms house for a non-traditional Christmas dinner (we had standing rib roast with baked potatoes and broccoli this year. Christmas dinner is usually a repeat of Thanksgiving in my family). The kids hadn't gotten their presents from my mom yet so their bikes were waiting for them under her tree!)

Santa brought Lauren the Belle doll from Beauty and the Beast- it sings a few of the songs from the movie. This doll hasn't left her side all day!

So happy to have her bike! She has been asking for a bike for the past month!

Lauren in her "hat"

Michael found his way to his present.

Daddy teaching Lauren how to peddle.

Now its Michael's turn, Daddy teaching him how to ride his new toy.

Home and ready for bed. John spent some of the day teaching Lauren how to make smiley faces on her new magna doodle.

Naps!

If naps could only be this easy every day. I put the kids in for their nap today and all the excitement must have really worn them out because I didn't hear a peep from either of them!

Lauren's under he new princess pillow which she was very excited to sleep with!

Christmas Morning

My morning started VERY early. Lauren came walking across the house at 5:45. I was watching as she got closer and closer to my room, she had her pillow and blanket in her hands and was on a straight path to my bed. She was almost to my door when she caught a glimpse of the Christmas tree (which was on- another tradition of mine, the tree stays on all night on Christmas Eve). She stood there staring for a good minute then looked into my room, looked back at the tree and gifts then came to my bed. She didn't say anything when she got in my room, just climbed up and sat there for a minute. After a minute she did her normal "I want to watch Wonder Pets" I ofcourse told her it was way to early and she needed to go to sleep. A minute or two later she said, "I need to ride that horsey!" She had seen the rocking horse under the Christmas tree that Granny and Pop Pop (John's parent had gotten Michael). I had no luck getting her to go back to sleep but managed to keep her in my room until Michael got up at 7 then we had to hold them off till my mom arrived at 8. We let them each open a gift and their stocking while I got the homemade cinnamon rolls in the oven for breakfast.

Michael wants to know what all Lauren's ranting and raving is about.

So happy to get Cinderella's dress- I have a feeling this dress might be worn out in public more than once.

John claimed his spot!

I have never seen Michael sit still and behave so well for such a long period of time as he did while he was unwrapping his gifts. I'm considering wrapping empty boxes to keep him quiet! 

Nams helping Michael open his little people Noah's Ark set.

She was mad she couldn't get the doll out of the box.

Teamwork!

Jack made himself comfy (although it doesn't look too comfy to me)

Santa made this little boy happy!

Swimming in the wrapping paper.

The best family picture we could get.

Lauren's favorite gift- she sings!

The horsey I was hearing about at 6am!

Even Belle gets a turn on the horsey

Santa Came!

Christmas Eve Traditions

One of our biggest Christmas Eve traditions is the evening pajama exchange. This year we added a new tradition and wrote letters to santa to go along with his milk and cookies. I told Lauren to draw a picture of what she wanted Santa to bring her and Michael obviously just scribbled on his paper.

Lauren opening her new slippers.

Time to open pajamas.

Michael and his new pj's.

They match!

Time to write a letter to Santa

Picking cookies for Santa

All ready for Santa to come. Time for the kids to go to bed!!!