Early Christmas.

It's my goal to finish blogging the things I want to blog about December before the end of January. I think that's a pretty good goal, what do you think?

And collages to save time!

On Christmas morning, the kids always have to wait for me to get downstairs first so I can take a picture of them coming in and seeing their presents. It turned into a tradition somewhere.

So, Barb's first Christmas. Owen and Evelynn read the names and pass out the gifts. Evelynn got the classics - Little House on the Prairie - that I never read as a child, and she's already through one and a half of them. "What's a Grrruuufffalllo?" "Hurry Barb so we can open more presents!" (We usually let the kids just kind of go through and open whatever they find, but all the excitement was distracting Barb, so we had them take little breaks to watch her open presents. )

Evelynn was genuinely shocked (and excited) to get an American Girl doll. She was confidently opening the wrapping looking for more accessories for her doll house. Owen was as happy as expected about his new Wii game. Barb loves her new little Potsy almost as much as she loved crawling around and finding all the little things the kids left out. And I love Potsy. And now I want a little kitchen for Barb to put it in. But I think maybe we should work on walking before playing in little kitchens.

Oh, and the reason we had Christmas early...

Drum roll please...

"A Family Trip To...

...Dubai?...

And flip flops!!!"

And we left at midnight.