The Days after Christmas

We had more family come over the days after Christmas.

The kids had fun opening Grandma and Grandpa gifts.

 

Then we had Keishun's 17th birthday celebration.

That's right, folks. I have a 17 year old son now.

Yeesh.

Billy's family drove in from Florida and Houston and the kids opened even more presents.

I am thankful for grateful and sweet natured children or Christmases would be very overwhelming.

We do not buy our children toys throughout the year, so this is the time when they are able to soak in all the goodness of their favorite things.

Vivianna received her first American Girl doll

from her Nana and Padre.

 She was thrilled!!

 

Isaac with his family gifts.

 (Just a little bit spoiled)

Baby's first bike!

The next day the sisters and their Aunties and I went to the American Girl Store in Dallas, Tx.

It was beautiful in there.

We got Vivi's doll's ears pierced.

 

The piercing came with a 6 pack of doll earrings in a little red shopping bag. So cute.

 

Christmas Eve and Day

 

I adore being the mother of five especially at Christmastime.

Having a big family was always a dream

I never knew would come true.

 

I am so behind on my blogging. I will have to do this in segments!

 

We had a wonderful Christmas week.

I think it was one of the best I can remember in a long time.

After church on Christmas Eve, the kids opened their Christmas Eve box filled with snacks, pajamas, and a Christmas movie.

 

Then they took their obligatory pajama pic in front of the tree.

They are always so good about amusing Mom. 

 

 

Then Billy pulled out the package we got from a family friend that I used to babysit for. She has been a blessing to our family over the years and this was no exception as she gifted us with an Xbox Kinect, our first family gaming system.

 

The kids absolutely freaked.

It was marvelous!

 

 It was literally a blur from that moment on. :)

We gave the kids a movie projector so they watched that while Daddy connected the game.

 

Then they all opened their ornaments.

And we settled in for a couple of hours before bedtime.

 

I have started a new tradition of having all the siblings sleep together on Christmas Eve. This adds to the excitement and merriement. They were all asleep except Jasmine within 20 minutes.

It was a lot of fun having stairs for the first time. It is so quaint to think of the kids coming down the lit stairs and viewing the beautiful sight below.

Breakfast was peppermint chocolate milk (frap for Mommy!) and cinnamon cake.

Isaac...what does the fox say?  ;)

 

 

It took an hour to get through gift opening.

 

 

We had a nice lunch and opened stockings.

 

 

Then Christmas night Terrance's family came over for dinner.

I was so much in my happy place this Christmas.

It was meaningful and fun and relaxing.

 

Every single child was a JOY on Christmas and the days after.

They were kind to one another and not selfish or greedy.

I feel the fruit of our labor with our babes all the more on holidays.

 

I am a blessed Mama.

 

I will post soon the after Christmas events and New Year's eve.