Christmas Morn

Christmas snuck up on us again. I was actually ahead of the game in everything but wrapping. Declan was bouncing off the walls on Christmas Eve but I got him to stand still long enough to get him to hang his stocking. We really need some sort of mantle because hanging them off the table is sort of ridiculous. Grace let me take her picture too as long as I promised "not to splash it around the Internet". It looked a

lot like Declans picture only with Grace in it.

We put out milk and cookies for Santa. We were lucky to have these for him. I had major Christmas cookie failure this year. This was the only batch out of the three to survive. I honestly think I forgot to add flour to my gingerbread cookie mix. I remember thinking it looked awful runny when I out it into the refrigerator to chill. Not sure what my problem was.

The tree after Santa came. I used 15 different setting on my camera to get a good tree picture and this was the best I could do. I don't know why my camera has a special fireworks setting but not a Christmas tree one? Something to think about Nikon.

In the morning, there was no way I could get them to pose under the tree so I just made them hold back for one minute so I could get some sort of picture. They woke up around 5am but we made them stay in bed until 6am.

Carly was very confused about why we were all up so early and being so loud. She got a new toy and some bones. Owen the cat got presents too but we had to bring them upstairs to him. He was happy with them. He might be 14 years old but he can still chase catnip toys around like a kitten.

Grace was very methodical about her pile. She moving away from toys except for stuffed animals. She got things like clothes, perfume and locker organizers. Its scaring me.

Declan had another Lego Christmas but he also got this weather forecasting system. He loves to watch the weather from the set at work. The green weather wall freaks him out. He actually asked if he could be a weather watcher for our meteorologists now that he has this. I asked one of them and she said fine but he would have to get up at 4am to figure out the bus stop forecast. Declan had no problem with this but I did.

Even Tim got something he wanted. We have a hard time buying presents for each other because I don't understand his computer world and he doesn't understand my girl world. Gift certificates seem to be the way to go for us but I did get him/us an electric blanket which he will love once we get it out of the box. He's always cold.