Christmas morning with two children...

Probably the last year the kids actually "sleep in" on Christmas morning.  We had no complaints, we were up all night wrapping gifts so we needed the hour of sleep.

Checking out the stockings....look at the pile of presents under that tree!

she is either really concentrating or half asleep

Wythe got some trains, Ainsley got a tiny cat figurine. "Better kiss that present little girl, it may be all you get!"

Peter & Wythe opening "Cranky the Crane"....not sure who is more excited.

"It is what I have wanted my whole life! All 3 years of it, or since I knew what trains were..."

"Seriously?  a bath towel?   Wythe got trains and trucks and I got a towel?"

the fun of Christmas morning, gifts to play with, paper and ribbons strewn on the floor and more gifts yet to open!

One of the best parts of Christmas?    Both of my children took a nap, AT THE SAME TIME, and slept for two hours!

We will now be celebrating Christmas on a weekly basis. 

Expensive?  Yes.   Worth the cost and hassle?  Absolutely. 

'til next time...

Elf on a Shelf - Day Twenty-One

Christmas Eve, this is the last morning to find Notch. And this morning he picked a favorite spot, hanging out by the tree.

The kids made sure to tell Notch goodbye since they won't see him for a long time.  Wythe told him, "have fun at the North Pole!"

'til next time...

Christmas Eve...oh, the anticipation!

Christmas Eve is an exciting night for toddlers. I don't think mine quite understood what was going on but they were excited none the less.

The excitement is mounting....this resulting the running and generally acting like whirling dervishes.

The stockings are hung by the fire...waiting to be filled.

The cookies, milk and "carrots"  are ready for Santa and his reindeer.  We didn't actually have any carrots, I forgot to buy them.  So, we used the next closest thing, sweet potato fries.

"please, please let Santa be good to me!"

'til next time...

Elf on a Shelf - Day Twenty

Ainsley woke up this morning to spot Notch on the shelf above her bed, cuddling up with the poodle. 

Can't believe that Notch will be leaving us soon, we will miss the morning hunt for Notch!

'til next time...

Elf on a Shelf - Day Nineteen

I think Notch has a sweet tooth.  Maybe he needed something to go with his coffee. Either way, he was definitely into the sugar this morning.

Later in the day someone bumped the cabinet (again) and Notch tipped forward.  He didn't fall over (THANK GOD! Those calls to Santa are expensive) but he did spill some of the candy out of his bucket.

At first Wythe yelled "MOMMY, NOTCH JUST THREW CANDY AT ME!"

Then on second thought he realized that would be a good thing and changed it to "MOMMY, NOTCH IS GIVING ME CANDY!"  In the interest of not being rude, I let Wythe have a piece of the candy Notch had offered him.

I hope Notch will not make a habit of offering my children foods without asking first.

'til next time...