end of year thoughts...

I have a lot on my mind this week as I try to wrap things up for the year (lots of business-related financial stuff comes up at the end of the year when you run your own business), think about new plans/goals for 2009, and checking random things off of my to-do list.

A few photos and stories from Christmas Eve and Christmas day....

First of all, we had a totally wonderful and completed blessed Christmas with our friends and family this year! Christmas Eve was held here this year, due to the power-outage that Matt's family was still trying to clean up. Here's a hilarious video of Matt's mom playing Wii boxing:

Matt's step-dad was also hilarious at Wii boxing....and I thought he was going to punch our TV a few times!

Trying to sneak a cookie from the plate we left out for Santa....

Decorating cookies. Yes, he pretty much ate all that he decorated.

Finishing his letter to Santa. It said...

"Santa

Whiff

Madge

love,

Jackson"

Translation....

"Dear Santa, I've been a pretty good boy this year and I would really like the "Whiff" and "Madge" trains from Thomas and Friends. I promise to be nice to my sister. Love Jackson."

Christmas day was wonderful and we stayed home in the AM opening stockings and gifts and playing with our new stuff. This was definitely a "Wii" year for Matt. He got the Wii last year for Christmas and this year receieved TONS of stuff for it. Jack received lots of Thomas stuff as well as a new big boy bike (which he LOVES.....he already tried riding without the training wheels, but decided he likes having them on for now), and plenty of new toys. Macy recieved some clothes as well as lots of musical instruments and loud toys. I received lots of new books, movies, scrappin' goodies, and kitchen-y things. It was a fun day, that's for sure!

Jack woke up right at 6:30 AM and came in to our room and said "Mommy, I have to go potty. I wonder if Santa came? Merry Christmas!" but we made him wait to go downstairs till 7:30 AM. He had received some fun toys from Christmas Eve with Matt's family, so he happily played in his room with those! This was the first year EVER that I have not walked downstairs on Christmas morning wearing pajamas. I'm a big fan of getting out of bed and going downstairs on Christmas morning when everyone looks like they just woke up. But.....this year was different.....Jack woke up super early, and Macy had no clue that it was a special day, so she didn't wake up so early.....and we were anxious to go to my mom's house for lunch and more gifts, so we didn't want to waste precious late morning hours getting ready! So, I just got ready BEFORE going downstairs. It was weird, that's for sure!

Here's a video of the kids coming down stairs and checking things out early on Christmas day. Notice how Jack runs to the kitchen FIRST to see if Santa ate his cookies and milk and then eventually makes his way over to the tree:

One of the many loud toys that Macy received...

Jack opening up his Thomas roundhouse train thing:

I did a bunch of scrapbooking yesterday and am taking photos tomorrow of a bunch of recent projects. Will upload asap!