Christmas

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year. Every year it gets more enjoyable with the kids. They are more excited and understand the excitement of Santa more and more. Christmas has always been my most favorite time of year. As a child I would wake up at 5am wanting to open presents. I was always the first one up and my parents would tell me to go back to bed several times before finally waking up to satisfy me. Last year Braeden was scared to get out of bed. He thought Santa was still in the house and wouldn't come out of his room. This year Braeden's bedroom is in the basement. I have a monitor in his room so I can hear him. I was up at 5:30am not so patiently waiting for my kids to wake up. Braeden woke up at 6:00am and it was still dark out. I could hear him through the monitor and he was saying..."AHHHH...why is it still dark out. I just want to open my presents from Santa. Why does it still have to be night time?" It was so cute. He didn't come out of his room to check to see if it was morning. He waited. I on the other hand was so impatient. I have been waiting for the day that my kids come running into my room saying "SANTA CAME"! I thought for sure this would be the year. Well Emma didn't go to bed early because she was so excited for Santa to come. She was up until 10:30pm. Charlie is our child that always sleeps in when we want him to get up early. I couldn't take the waiting so I decided to call my dad at 6:30am to wake him up. He was working in Virginia MN for the holiday. He had been up all night in the ER with patients so the wake up call was a surprise. He laughed at me and said that I have not changed. He told me to go back to bed and wait for me kids. We all know that was not happening. At 7am I went and woke up Emma and she ran downstairs to get Braeden! The kids charged our room and were so excited that Santa came. We had a great time opening presents as a family!!

We spent Christmas Day with my family at my parents' house. We sure missed my dad this year and hope he doesn't work away from home ever again!! It was fun to be with everyone and watch all the presents being opened by the kids. We made a snowman and shoveled the 2+ feet of snow that we got over the week. It sure was a memorable Christmas. Hopefully we do not get any more snow. The cold temps can stay away too!!

Saturday was Emma's 4th Birthday, which is also the day after Christmas. My mom, sisters and I have made a tradition out of going shopping for the Christmas clearance the day after. I was up at 5am to pick everyone up. It is so much fun to get up so early and shop!! We always have a blast and can't wait to see what bargains we can find.

Saturday night we took Emma to her favorite restaurant for supper, Applebee's. My mom and Alli joined us for supper. It was a chaotic mess with 4 adults and 3 kids but such is life with young children. Emma loved it and that is all that matters!!

Sunday was our Anniversary. We have been married for 6 years. It has gone by so fast and I can't believe that we are celebrating our 6th year already. We have grown closer every year and I can't imagine my life without my husband!! Alli babysat the kids while we went to Owatonna with Patsy and Graham to visit the Hoffmans'. It is a yearly tradition that we get together at Christmas with them. This year with my dad not being home it didn't seem like it was going to happen. Well the 4 of us still were able to make it to see them. We had so much fun! The time goes by way too quickly and we really need more time together next year. It seems to get shorter and shorter every year. Maybe a family trip is in order ;)

Today my mom, Alli, and I took Emma to the American Girl store in the MOA for her birthday. She got the Julie doll for her birthday and brought her with. Of course I did her hair just like Julie. She looked so cute and was so excited to go with just the girls and leave her brothers at Nana and Papa's for the day. We had a blast. You really have to go with patience! There are a lot of little girls at this store! I have a lot of respect for the people that work there. They were all so kind and in great moods. I have no idea how you do that all day long with the screaming fits I witnessed in the first 5 minutes of being there. Emma was overwhelmed but did great. We had a great lunch and it was so much fun to have a day with her. She got some new clothes for her dolls too!!

What a week we have had. We don't need anymore events around Christmas!! Happy Birthday to our niece Helena! She turned 1 on Christmas Day! I hope she had a great birthday.