The BEST Christmas EVER!

The days leading up to Christmas were filled with rushing around, trying to remember where I stored the gifts bought earlier, getting the doll clothes finished, the band concert, the Christmas dinner at church, Christmas cantata, the children's program at church, making Maggie's whatchamacallit that hangs from the ceiling over her bed with the pink sheer material (a curtain, really) and getting the food ready for our Christmas dinner.

Christmas morning was quiet because it was just the two of us, until about noon when Kara, Maggie and Emma arrived. The girls were all excited about their Christmas presents and each had a new American Girl doll (from GeeGee), watches and DSIs. They had so many presents at home that they couldn't remember everything they got! After telling me as many as they could, I asked them if they got anything big (trying to jog their memories). They couldn't remember. Finally, I said "Didn't you get new bicycles?" "Oh! Yeah!" Chris had to go to Fairfax to pick up a body and wasn't sure he'd make it back in time but luckily he did.

Justin, Nicole and Alex arrived just before lunch. They wanted to stay home in the morning to start their own traditions with Alex on Christmas morning. Alex is still too young to know what's going on, but he knew "Santa". We have a Santa that dances when you squeeze his hand, so Alex had fun with that.

After a delicious dinner of steak and shrimp with coleslaw, broccoli casserole and baked potatoes, we opened our gifts. I think everyone was pleased with their presents, especially the children. Alex was having fun ripping the paper off and without even looking at the toy, was ready to rip open another. We gave him a remote control car (for toddlers) and he immediately knew what to do with it. Kara and the girls gave him a tree house with Weebles and he knew how to play with that, too! He wasn't too interested in the sweaters and hats I knitted for him.

Maggie and Emma were happy with the games we gave them. Maggie was especially happy when she opened a box and found a velour jacket that was a twin of one she had just received that morning at Pam's. Two jackets, two different colors. I had made a box full of AG doll clothes again, and they were excited about that, too, especially since they now have six dolls.

As Maggie and Emma were leaving to go home, Maggie turned and said "This is the BEST Christmas EVER!!" I had to laugh, because we have said that same thing for years and years.