Celebrating Christmas!

Christmas Eve morning - we spent it here, just the four of us and it was AWESOME!  We let the kiddos open their gifts from Uncle Arthur and Aunt Kristina, we hung out and watched movies, ate some yummy food and the Bean and I pampered ourselves before Mass.

Noah got a cool stool - Michigan of course!

The Bean got some Ariel play-doh she wanted to do RIGHT NOW (note NJ in the background already getting his stool out - he used it he rest of the day)

He also got a really cool compass that he is most taken with.  Guess it's time to send him into the woods and see if he comes back...  (just kidding!)

We made it to Church!  And I totally had the two cutest kids there

And of course, that meant - SELFIES!

Selfie kisses for the win (and don't worry, this was 45+ minutes before Mass started so it was OK)

Don't get to do as many with my boy but he played along, too

We made it to the 'Mont to find there may have been a few presents to open....

But first - Santa came!

And NJ and the Bean came tearing down the stairs too fast for us to even get decent pictures

Checking out their Santa loot

Kayla was thrilled to get a pink bike helmet but at this point was unsure what it was for...

(And yes, she continued to wear the helmet....)

And then we found...

A new bike!

Which of course then needed to be ridden through the middle of Grandma's living room...

And into Mr. Matt

See the pink on the back of the bike - it's a carrier seat for her dolls!

Stockings

I got a super cute Wolverine snowman

 

And holiday flavored jelly beans

The unseasonably warm weather meant an outdoor test ride of the bike was possible

And she was off!

Meet Pope Larry

And if the Bean gets to ride a bike in the house, Noah had to test out his new scooter from Aunt Sarah

Cool Frozen ribbon + Hair Stylist Aunt Sarah = Happy Bean

My husband has the best sense of humor, bless him!  With very little coaxing from me (hehe) the kids decided Daddy HAD to have these new PJ's for Christmas

A Frozen keyboard - thanks Grandma and Papa!

What could it be???

I don't know - but he was excited!

As was Batman - who was by now sporting a Frozen ribbon of his own

And Grandma was collecting bows

And she got Neil!

In concert!!!!!

The Bean, on at least her third outfit change

Noah got a Nerf gun - Grandma got to test it out

Then (with the rest of us terrified and cowering) so did Noah

Miss Stephanie may have got the Bean her favorite gift of the day - a singing Elsa

Since we weren't up for it after Thanksgiving this year, we decided to go to The Lights at the Zoo the day after Christmas

Where we had to check out the Ice Slide

Noah, Scott and Grandma

Then Aunt Shell, the Bean and Aunt Sarah

That is one BIG tree

So, my question of the day - how does someone learn to do this?  I mean, these trees are perfectly wrapped  - it's amazing

Aunt Shell was a total trooper and even gave the Bean a ride of her shoulders.  This still means Kayla was shorter than Uncle Dudley :-p

This was, hands down, the MILDEST it's ever been when we've gone to the zoo.  No rain, no sleet, no snow, no wind.  Thank you God for the great evening!