Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas. The girls were so happy with their gifts. Since we stay up late on Christmas Eve (we didn't get home until about 1:30 this year), we let the girls sleep. I was up about 7:30 and showered before they woke up. Then Ella woke up and wanted to take a bath and get dressed. Minutes after she finished, Michelle woke up and the gift unwrapping began. At our house, Santa doesn't wrap his gifts, and so they are usually the easiest to spot. This year was a little different. We told the girls which gift to open first, one from us, and it was a huge surprise. They got a Wii!! They were so excited. Then they saw Santa's gift which was a Wii game for Michelle (Alvin and the Chipmunks) and a game for Ella (Toy Story) with a dress for Gabrielle. Santa also left them a note saying that he enjoyed the chocolate milk and carrots they left for him. (They decided Santa could use some healthy food mixed in with all the cookies he was eating!)
They also got a hula hoop from us. Then they had gifts from their grandparents, their babysitter, and a couple of other friends and family members. They loved opening gifts.

Michelle was cute because she has the funniest facial expressions. She kept saying "Thank you for the Wii" over and over again. She was thrilled...but a tiny bit disappointed to not get a new bike or a High School Musical House from Santa.

Love her excitement!

Ella was cute because as she opened gifts because she would stop after each gift and say thank you to the person who gave it to her...even though most of them weren't there. "Oh, thank you Grandma and Grandpa." "Thank you Alicia, I love it!" and so on. It was too cute. She loved all the pretty clothes and was also excited about the Wii and the Barbie and the Littlest Pet Shop toy.



Gabrielle was cute because she is just figuring out the concept of opening gifts. She didn't have many (she doesn't need anything...so many clothes and toys handed down from her sisters...she is set!) which was probably good because she would open one and then want to hold it and play with it while opening another. But it was fun to see her figuring out how to open the gifts and she loves the toys she got.


Alfredo was thrilled because he got a flat screen tv for our room. He still really wants to get one for downstairs, but that will be a bigger one and will have to wait awhile.

I got a nice jacket, which I needed, and a nice, comfortable pair of shoes.
After opening gifts, we had breakfast at home and got ready. Then about noon we headed to my aunt and uncle's house for lunch and more gifts.

My Aunt Elaine and Uncle Phil are so generous and gave me a Cricut cartridge and furry slipper socks. They gave Alfredo a gift certificate to Old Navy. Michelle and Ella got coordinated outfits and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus dolls and Gabrielle got a darling toy. We also ate a delicious lunch.

After a few hours, we headed home to try out our Wii. Christmas was as beautiful, magical and wonderful as ever. We are so blessed and grateful for our friends and family as well as our health, our home, our testimony of the gospel, our stable jobs, and so many other things at this time of year.

Want to read more about other people's Christmas celebrations? Head over to Evette's this week to read about other's and to link your description of Christmas 2009.

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Totally unrelated, but I'm going to print my blog and want this included in the 2009 blog, so I"m including it here. My reads for October - December 2009:
A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen
Alma by H.B. Moore
Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian
Dead Wrong by Clair Poulson
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Everwild by Neal Shusterman (loved it!)
How to Be a Good Parent (only read 1/2...good book)
Night Kill
Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1) by John Flanagan (good series!)
Shudder by Jennie Hansen
Skinwalkers by Tony Hillerman
The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice #2) by John Flanagan
The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice #3) by John Flanagan
The Lover's Knot
Time Traveler's Wife... I did NOT like this, skip it
Where Angels Go by Debbie Macomber
The Girl Who Could Fly (this was wonderful! I would totally recommend it!)