Christmas Photo Album 2009

This Christmas was relatively quiet. I had Christmas Eve off for the first time in a while, and Kyle had a half day of school, so I was able to keep the house tidy and host my friend S. and her child for afternoon tea and presents. Grandma Bettie was visiting us, and although she had a cold, she enjoyed watching the children frolic and fight.

In the evening, the children opened their traditional Christmas Eve pajamas from Gramma and Grampa:

Before bed, I bundled them into the car and drove them around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. There is a house nearby that they call “The Jackpot House” because it is ridiculously festooned with lights and sculptures and signage galore. It is its own Candy Cane Lane. By the time we got home they were still excited but sleepy:

Once they were in bed we waited a bit to get Santa in action, just in case. While we waited, we watched “The Blind Side” (very good, if a little farfetched, seems like they glossed over the tough parts in the true story) and enjoyed a tasty beverage. I failed to take pictures of the “pile” and the empty cookie plate this year. But you can imagine.

In the morning, Kyle was amazed. He came out to see the lit tree and the presents Santa left, and exclaimed “We were good!” with a bit of disbelief. Credit me for threatening him with the naughty list. This was the first year that threat actually worked.

Kyle dove in head first and opened gift after gift. Brady, on the other hand, took one look at the Hershey’s kiss-filled candy cane and he was done for the morning:

We brought Kyle to church in the afternoon. We showed up really early, so we waited outside the church and listened to the trumpet and sax players as they performed Christmas songs. Kyle accompanied them by singing “Jingle Bells” which earned applause from the people who gathered. Here he is in his Christmas best, the nice outfit that Nana bought him in September and now barely fits him:

And Brady in HIS Christmas best:

Kyle models another special Nana outfit:

Brady models one of the three Thomas train sets he received. He’s in too too chain heaven:

Much thanks and love to everyone who helped Santa this year. We miss you.