Christmas 2011

If you want to feel rich, just count all the gifts that money can't buy.


We tried to keep it simple this year.  A few little gifts from us and a train table from Santa. Next year we are going to adopt the four gift rule: something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. We want to make sure the emphasis is not on the material items but the celebration of Jesus' birth and the act of kindness to others.

Jordan was super excited  that he was able to wrap and hand out presents this year. I hope he can continue to be excited about the giving and not get wrapped up in the amount of gifts or the cost of the gifts. Poor Julia missed most of the unwrapping of items this year seeing as she was always sleeping. I managed to get her to unwrap one, but she was more interested in Jordan's HotWheels and trains. The train table was a hit!!! He spends hours playing and its the first thing he wants to do when he wakes up in the morning. A must gift for any boy in my opinion.

We started a couple of family traditions this year seeing as Jordan is old enough now to understand and participate. we made our homemade family ornament to put on the tree, we packed Operation Christmas Shoebox for a little boy his age, and we went to see Christmas lights in a local neighborhood. I love starting tradition that we can look forward to doing every year. I was so excited that he is at an age that he is grasping what is happening and look forward to Julia doing the same. Their smiling faces are the best present because it can be unwrapped over and over again.

Here are a few pics of the kids during the Christmas celebration with family and friends.

He is the slowest at opening presents and careful to throw away each piece of paper and tape

Looking at the ball and "thinking" about crawling

At my parent's on Christmas Eve

Loving Santa's gift

Spending time with his cousin Jadyn

One of Jordan's favorite houses-he liked many

One of those super cool houses you see on TV.
They had their own station that you tuned in to and the lights played to the music.
Joey and I LOVED this one.
Jordan loved the Santa in the window.