The kids have requested, nearly every year since they've been old enough, to have Christmas at home with just us so that it's like they get to celebrate three times :)
And so we do.
This year we had 'Christmas at home' a few days early. Part of the reason we decided to do this was because Stephen and I had kept these tiny guys hidden in our room for a week...
and we figured either the kids had already figured it out, or would soon!
The morning of, Stephen and I slept in. When I finally yawned and stretched my way out of bed, I went upstairs to the sound of Christmas carols. I followed the music and found Iris cuddled up in Clyde arms while he looked through a photo album with her. The music was coming from a radio that he assembled out of snap circuits.
We spent the morning playing, and early in the afternoon we gathered to open gifts. After the kids sorted them into piles, Stephen very emphatically insisted that I was to open my present from him before anyone else opened ANYTHING!!
So I did.
I was SO excited ya'll! I've always wanted a video camera!!
So when the next present was opened..the big one of the day, I got to take
THIS
If you haven't figured it out, if you click on my bold "THIS", it will take you to a video ;)
The kids were in heaven! And we just let the babies play and cuddle in our laps as we opened the rest of the presents.
We, once again, gave the kids gold (something they really wanted), frankincense (something they could enjoy by sharing it with the whole family), and myrrh (something to help them grow spiritually.) The ferrets were their frankincense.
But it's always most fun to see what they pick out for each other.
Iris opened nesting dolls from Lucy and was most excited!
Clyde opened his myrrh, didn't get a good pic, but it was
Don't Check Your Brains At The Door and an encyclopedia of Biblical battles.
Lucy received some charms to put in her glass locket from Iris.
I gave Stephen his carry permit, but since he already new about it (since he had to take the class and apply for it) I had to throw a tiny bit of extra in there :)
Nana received peanut M&M's from Iris.
Clyde gave Iris a mustache pencil :)
Nana gave each of the kids a box of fun things along with a personalized letter and a devotional she wrote.
Clyde gave Lucy some neat scrolls that she had been eyeing at World Market.
He gave his Mommy some of her FAVORITE hand sanitizers. AND the coupon that came with...cause he's thoughtful like that ;)
He gave Daddy some altoids. (Daddy loves to collect Altoid tins)
And he gave Nana Jolly Ranchers.
Iris gave Clyde a Skylander to have for when he finally got himself the game. He was pretty pumped..that's what he wanted most.
Lu gave me an cute apron!
Iris gave her Daddy a holster.
Lucy gave Nana a coloring book, which she loves and has been coloring in.
Iris opened her gold. Her choice of dance or archery lessons. I later took her to visit both and she will be starting archery in February :) and Bibles for children through Compassion.
Lucy surprised Clyde with an exercise ball.
Daddy looking through Lucy's myrrh with her and explaining it...
Iris surprised me BIG TIME with a stuffed Toothless!! He resides on my bed now. This is one cheerful giver!
Lucy gave Daddy a storage box for bullets.
Iris opened her myrrh.
Clyde's gold... clean water and a portion of a water well through Compassion and a couple of Skylanders.
Lucy's gold was a gift card to get a lesson on how to apply make-up and to buy some actual make-up. Was MUCH fun!!
Cuddles with new babies Soot and Ash!!! (oddly, they named the black one Ash and the sable one Soot)
Had a wonderful time loving on each other and celebrating Christ's birth!!
