Christmas at the Carlson's

Christmas was so fun this year. I think our kids still are trying to grasp the concept since they woke up that morning just like any other instead of rushing to see what Santa brought. But that was fine with me since I like to have music and the tree on and the camera ready! Santa brings the kids each one present and does their stockings and the rest was from us.

Since we had 9:00 church we let the kids do their stockings and play with their train that was out. Then we had breakfast and got ready for church. (Please excuse the quality of pictures. If anyone even blinked my camera made it fuzzy. And holding still on Christmas morning was not going to happen!)

Jonas loves his new toy but probably not as much as Weston and Saydi do! We've had to make a rule that they can't turn it on unless Jonas is in it, otherwise the batteries would be dead already!

Ready for church!

Church was wonderful and it really made me wish we always had church on Christmas day. We hurried home and then the fun commenced!

Mark finally got a gun this year. Now he (and my dad) can stop bugging me. =)

This is how Jonas helped.

The kids got the entire Baby Einstein collection and we didn't even have to pay a dime for it! So grateful. They LOVE Baby Einstein. Even Weston still does and Jonas likes it too which helps me get the kitchen cleaned at night.

There was one thing that I pretty much BEGGED Santa to bring me this year: a camera. The above pictures are proof of how desperately I needed a new one! But I knew there was no way Santa got me one or he for SURE would have let me open it the night before to have on Christmas day. Well, guess what the very LAST present was that got opened? No joke. The last. My camera! 14 megapixels later I am one happy little girl! Notice the difference?! I do. 

Gotta have a picture of the mess. It's what makes Christmas feel like Christmas. This is actually after Mark had picked up a little.

 See, I told you they love Jonas' toy. =)

 And apparently daddy likes Weston and Saydi's toys too!

 Some of my other presents were storage tubs, kitchen tupperware, and several new light fixtures so we can get rid of our ridiculously expensive, non-energy efficient lighting in our basement and bathroom. Mark got lots of accessories to go with his gun too (he'll probably kill me for using that word and making it sound girly. "Stuff" I guess.) =) The kids also got cars and all kinds of other toys they love and lots of coloring stuff. We had long, wonderful naps (one of my favorite presents) and then woke up and played until Mark had to go to work that night. The kids and I went to my sister Amy's house for dinner and we had such a good time. The food was delicious and the company fabulous. And this is what Weston did while we were there:

He has recently discovered how fun nintendo games can be and loved watching Kaden play his DS. As did Makoy.

Christmas was definitely a success this year. And not because of the gifts we gave and received; but because when Christmas came if you asked my kids what Christmas was about they would say "Jesus". And because we had a day filled with the spirit. And because we spent our day together as a family. It was a great way to end the year. And now we will welcome the new one with sick kids and grateful hearts.