I'm Gonna Beat the Dead Horse

I realize Christmas is over and done and we've all moved on to the excitement and brand-spanking, sparkly, new-ness that is 2009.

But I didn't share any tidbits from Christmas (and OH, there has been one thrill after another!) so here they are.

And don't panic--I can share all you need to know about our holiday in exactly four pictures.

First off...Christmas Eve. We'd never actually celebrated Christmas Eve in town, so it was wonderful to be part of our church family on that special night.

The kids sang, babies cried, candles were lit, fires avoided, and it was just beautiful.

I even borrowed the church's tree for that photo-op since the family tannenbaum was AWOL.

Each year, Santa secretly leaves just one gift for the kids to open after church.

And you know what?

It's always pajamas.

And Santa shops at Gap. (Which Jackson and Lilly thought was entirely too coincidental this year, seeing as their very own mother has been seen there a time or 50.)

After we donned our gay apparel, we snacked on sugar cookies (still stuffed from a lunch at the Grand Lux Cafe) and read the Christmas story from "The Jesus Storybook Bible."

Then we (not to be confused with Santa) let the kids open one gift.

Every single year it's a flashlight and books. On the hardest night of the year to fall asleep, I do believe some fine literature and flashlights are necessary.

In a few years, we'll probably lace their hot chocolate with Ambien, but for now, the books do the trick.

After the children were nestled all snug in their beds, my favorite part of the evening awaited.

Step one: eat all of the cookies for Santa.

Step two: DECORATE!!! I love arranging the fireplace display for the kids' viewing pleasure in the morning.

My parents always did a spectacular job of gift presentation and it's fun to do the same. 

We usually leave one or two gifts unwrapped for initial shock effect, then creatively and sometimes, sneakily wrap the others.

Here is Lilly with her favorite gift:

I barely have the heart to tell you what it is.

Ok, I give.

A planner.

From the nail salon I visit twice a year.

That I got for free.

(There is a message there, I'm sure.)

When the salon owners gave it to me, I tucked it away, knowing that my girl who adores all things pencil and paper, would savor it.

I didn't know, however, that she would kiss it, gently thumb through the pages, and ask, "Mom! Did you put these amazing maps in the back just for me?!"

Jackson loved his Legos:

He and his dad have hunkered down in the playroom, football game on TV, Legos neatly sorted, and instruction book open.

I have yet to read an instruction book for a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g, so I'm thankful the boys have each other.

On a completely unrelated note, here are the two babes after a day at the rock wall:

 
Lilly can climb now that she's five, so she celebrated by scampering right to the top on her first try.

Now that I've officially documented Christmas, I have to go give Brad a beating at MarioKart.

Duty calls.