Catching Up!

I admit it.  I've been a slacker.  I realized today...AGAIN, that I have not posted any of our Christmas photos.  I've thought of it.  A time or two.   Okay...more than a time or two.  But my thinking about it has NOT been followed up by my DOING it.  Until today!  And so...without further ado....Christmas 2011 in pictures!

Christmas Eve was a low key and quiet event for us this year.  Much more so than usual.  Pee Paw was in the hospital after some colon surgery and so he and Gigi were not here to celebrate with us.  We went to Christmas Ever services, which were stunningly beautiful, as always.  I LOVE the service our church does for Christmas Eve.  Then we came home and fixed a nice dinner.  I had actually left it cooking while we were gone, so it was ready as soon as we got home.  After we enjoyed a nice, quiet Christmas dinner, we proceeded to the much anticipated opening of the family gifts!

Clara was SO excited to see what treasures her boxes held for her.  

In true form, Ben was acting like a total goofball.  This is his excited look!

The puppies were excited because the kids were excited.  So fighting over a sock, seemed the logical thing to do, right?

And wrestle...you need to wrestle when you are excited!

Clara loved finding CASH in her first card!

Yes!  Money makes us VERY happy!!!!

Max is too cool to jump up and down with excitement nowadays,  but a little cash in hand seems to bring big smiles!

For Ben too!!!!

Ahhh....checks and cash.  The love language of the American Teenager!  Thank you Mimi and Pee Paw Dave!

I think this fuzzy blue bathrobe my sister gave Clara is one of her very favorite gifts!  She was ecstatic!!!!

And this is one of Ben's favorite gifts.  He's a Texas boy for sure and has developed quite a love for the orange stuff here in Longhorn Country!

It was an American Girl Extravaganza for Clara!  She got a gift card,  a new outfit, eyeglasses for her doll AND a set of braces and head gear for her teeth!  She was overjoyed!!!!

And then it was Christmas morning!  We got to sleep in all the way until 5:57 a.m. this year.  That's as long as they could wait...so they told us.  And so...we dragged our weary selves up out of that bed and into the living room to see what treasures and treats Santa might have left behind for them.  

This is Clara walking into the room and seeing what's under the tree from Santa.  Clearly, it exceeded her expectations!

This new, shiny beach cruiser bike had her name on it!   

And Ben got a shiny new tackle box fully stocked with all kinds of the latest and greatest fishing lures guaranteed to bring in the BIG one!  

Max was surprised and excited to find arrows under the tree for him!

Along with a new bow!  

There was Snow Leopard to upgrade the computer for Max

And UT headphones for the Texas boy!

A new scooter for Clara!

The Texas Driving Handbook for Max.  Oh dear.  Help me, Rhonda!

And a book about programming Java.  Oh, the crazy things my children dream of!

All in all, it was a wonderful morning of fun and surprises., ribbons and bows.  Really, BIG bows!

We're looking forward to a SUPER new year in 2012!

Merry Christmas, ya'll!!!!!