A "Warm and Toasty" Indiana Christmas

Mom still does stocking for EVERYONE!

All Elye Kate wanted for Christmas was the paper!

Notice Reesi's pants rolled up into shorts? That's the warm and toasty part. My parents heat their house with a wood stove. All the boys (and Julie) are constantly sweating and complaining about the heat.

The girls are delivering all the presents.

Tradition: Papoo and the girls build a tower of presents every year.

Eric is sporting the Nerf gun protective glasses.

This was Elye Kate's present. I am going to try to force this to be her Andy! Name for the owl: Reesi says Maci, then Annie. Larry says Hooter. So maybe Hooter Anne or Hootie Annie.

This is the mess. Of course, Clark W. Griswald is in the background. If Reesi starts using any foul language this week I am going to blame Christmas Vacation and Christmas Story!

Sorting and counting her Silly Bands.

Her new fake nails that Daddy put on upside down.

Playing with the Barbie pool

Santa's on the Nice List

As usual, Santa was so nice to Reesi this year.

The first thing she wanted to play with: an eight dollar Black Friday art set!

Andy got silly bandz in her stocking this year.

Candy- Reesi's favorite, but Santa left the price tag on it. What was he thinking?

All Elye Kate wanted for Christmas is paper to eat.

She loves her Snuggie!

"A DS, a DS!" Santa contemplated this one. He hated to start the video game thing when she is only five. But since the Nesbitts got her the Dream House and Santa got a $100 gift card to Wal-mart, he thought, "What the hay."

The best blanket in the world! This is actually from Larry to me, but since I found it in the garage and ruined the surprise it ended up being from Santa. I had admired this blanket at Restoration Hardware(on sale!) so Larry snuck out and got it for me. I love it!!

All We Got Was Coal!

If you haven't got our Christmas card yet it is because they won't go out in the mail until tomorrow! I totally misjudged shipping time when I ordered them and I just got them today. Merry Christmas Everyone!

Twas the Night Before Christmas . . .

Night, Night, Elye! (she was not liking my flash in the dark room)

Well, at least for us it is. We decided to bump up Reesi's advent calendar a day and celebrate Christmas a day early. So we did the whole cookies for Santa, carrots for reindeer, Grinch movie, and Twas the Night Before Christmas book tonight. The children are all nestled snug in their bed, or not. Reesi busted into the office asking for water and hour after she was in bed. We assumed she was asleep and the office floor was covered with her gifts. We shuffled her out quickly and it was dark, but we knew she saw something. I went upstairs with her to assess the damage. She asked, "Mama, what were those presents doing in the office?" My cover: I told her that we got her a few presents from mommy and daddy. Santa will bring the rest tonight. Then I told her that some of them were for Mimi and Papoo. It looks like Santa's load will be light this year because there were only about two presents that we hadn't brought in yet. Ahhh! I am so mad.

Merry Christmas Elye

This is Reesi trying to force Elye to lay back and enjoy the pillow with her.

We decided that Reesi would pick out a present to give Elye this Christmas. She ended up with a stuffed animal pillow that they could both lay on. However, Reesi is taking good care of it in her bed until Elye is old enough to sleep with it. Pretty convenient, huh.

Let the Christmas Posting Begin!

Reesi would blow air through the straws onto the top of Elye's head to make Elye smile.

Elye loved her reindeer, Donner.

Mesmerized by the Dream House

Today we celebrated Christmas with the Nesbitts. Gary and Cat treated us to lunch at Logan's and then we went to Granny and Papa's for presents. It was such a great meal. Especially, because little Elye Kate sat in the high chair the whole time happy as can be. She is such a good baby I keep waiting for her to take a turn for the worse!

At Granny and Papa's, Reesi got her big present! Granny, Papa, Dabau, Gary, and Cat went in together and got Reesi her dream present: the Barbie Dream Townhouse! She was so excited and could not wait for Daddy to put it together. As soon as we got home and after about an hour of frustrated yells from Larry, it was ready for play. Reesi invited Lyla over to enjoy the new toy. Hopefully, this will provide many more hours of entertainment for Reesi! Thanks Nesbitts!