Christmas Day 2012

 My dear little Kevin has been wanting a real chalkboard for a long time (his whole life, I think).  Since the house is paid off, Santa decided he could be rewarded with it!  Some how I didn't get a picture of him with it, but here it is with his stocking!

 Our rule on Christmas morning is no one up (meaning out of their rooms) before 7 am.  Camilla reports that she woke at 4:30 and couldn't get back to sleep!  She and Madeline were upstairs the second the clock hit 7!  Eliza was up soon after, and we dragged Natalia out of bed as well (see her laying on the bed there?).  Anna and Mari were allowed to sleep until nature woke them.  They missed the initial view of presents, but they got enough sleep!

 Santa didn't fail to thrill this girl with the contents of her stocking!

 Madeline watching a rolo melt. . .

Camilla with her requested "crocheting kit" plus a bonus knitting loom.  If you're in need of a winter hat, just let her know!

Natalia didn't know what a marble track was, exactly, but since her mother told her she might want one, she did!  It has been hours of fun for us all.

Knitting away!

Cute little Anna and her trains!

Mari just couldn't wait for Christmas this year!  How often do you get your first Christmas!?  (Okay, just once.)

Mari spent much of the morning eating her socks.

Cute apron made by Camilla.

After she put these babies on, they stayed on the rest of Christmas day!

Out rollerblading in the chilly morning air.

Since Madeline and Eliza were both going out with helmets on, Anna insisted on joining that crowd as well!

Eliza very responsibly brought her scooter in to wipe it down again every few minutes.  It is still clean and shiny!

I cannot even tell you how grateful I was to have my mother around Christmas morning!  Everyone needed some help with some present or other, or needed to be watched as they used their gifts (okay, except Mari. She just needed fed).  It was incredibly helpful to have this awesome lady helping with beads, crocheting, marble track making, etc.  

Okay.  So you might think I just put everyone's clothes on them and plopped them down for a cute picture.  Not so.  Anna got hot chocolate all over the front of her shirt, so it had to be washed and dried.  Once it was ready, Natalia got berries all over her shirt.  As soon as that was clean, Eliza's shirt got berries on it.  I am pretty sure one of those three got their shirt dirty twice, but I can't remember now who it was.  Once all the shirts were finally clean and dry, I begged and pleaded with them to just sit quickly for a few little photos.  It would have been awesome if everyone smiled and looked at the camera and we could be done, but that's not how photos work, is it?  Since it took so much to get these, you get to see all of them!

(I think this one might be my favorite)

First set of twinners

Second set of twinners

Third set of twinners (and maybe the best posers)

And I don't know why this is at the end, but here is Natalia with her candy cane.

I am a little shocked and embarrassed, but I didn't get a photo of my with my favorite gift of all--a VitaMix blender from my mother.  I could not believe she spent that much on us!  However, it has been aMAZing, and I love every minute using it.  I've used it several times each day, and I'll do a blog about it later.