Christmas 2010

In all honesty, Christmas Eve did not have the best start!!

I often feel that I expect too much from people, though to me, I am only expecting simple consideration!

I don't know if the stress of packing up a house on Christmas Eve, being pregnant, finding out 2 days prior that I am diabetic, or the excitement of it all had gotten to me, but I was definately emotional and my heart got broken pretty easily but then I could NOT stop crying!!!!!

My poor girls!!  They just stood there, dumbfounded, asking if I was OK!!!

Then, my family figured teh only way to make me smile was to give me my present then and there....

Drum roll...

A HUGE box!!!!

(Don't mind the swollen puffy eyes and face!!)

I took my time opening it and htey kept yelling at me

"Just rip it, already!!"

No way!!  It was too much fun for me!!

THREE wrapped boxes later, I finally found my present...

My NIKON D40!!!!!!!

Merry Christmas to me!!!!!

Woo Hoo!!!!

Hopefully, the picture above will be that last one we ever see from my piece of junk camera!!!!!

I am now, officially as cool as all of my SILs!!!  :)

*****************************

It was only after I had opened my present that I realized we probably spent too much money on Christmas this year...

The girls played with my two Big boxes for over 1 1/2 hours!!!!!

All the while, of course, I was playing with my new toy!

Check out my best photos yet!!!!!

(Watch out Becca!!!!)

*******************************************

Christmas Eve was a lot different for us this year...

we just spent the evening alone with absolutely NO plans!!!

The girls opened their gift from Becca's family and loved them!!!

Then we headed to the new house to drop off the Pixos (that are super messy) and a few boxes!

When we came home aroun8, we had cheese, crackers, pepperoni, Laughing Cow cheese and Eggnog.

The girls wrote thank you cards to Santa and then they acted out the Nativity story.

This was the first year Jenni got to write her own letter!!!!

And they were OUT by 9:30!!!!!

Jason and I were in bed by 11pm,

which was very good b/c a certain

Jaylee woke the whole fmaily at 3AM!!!!!!

She thought she heard something on the roof and when she came to her bedroom door she could see that the glass of milk was empty, so she woke Jason and I and then Jenni.

 Jaylee bought Jason a extending back scratcher so that he can keep it in his car!

They have the best ideas... always!!!

The girls were so excited, yet behaved and appreciative!!!!!

It was just a FUN FUN morning!!  (Or night, whatever you want to call it!!)

 I got a tripod for my new camera, but when I unwrapped it, Jenni yelled

"You got another box!!!"  haha

Just look at that... one ofmy favorite shots of the day!!!

She had just unwrapped her boxing gloves from Jason (and I)

Jaylee liked her Erector Set even more than I expected her too!!!

The girls picked out a griddle for Jason to make them breakfasts on and Jenni was determined to get it from behind the tree herself... this is the moment she's realizing that she needs a little help!!!

And the pickle winner was (again)...

Jaylee Stringham!!!

We were done opening gifts at 4:15 am and the girls have been playing very happily since!

(It's now 11:15am)

Jaylee had coal in her stocking!!!!

Bubble gum coal, that is!!!

Jason also got a "trick" gift in his stocking...

a $5,000 winning lotto ticket.

I felt terrible after he realized it was fake!!!!

Luckily, we captured the whole spectrum of his emotions on the camcorder!!

Great minds think a like... huh?!?!

Christmas isn't Christmas without a Jason breakfast...

with the girls' help, of course!!!!

Waffles, Scrambled eggs, Bacon and Fruit Salad.  Yum!!!!

Is it still called breakfast at 5 am?!?!?

The girls are busy playing, Jason just woke from a nap and I am playing with my camera/blog.

What a great day!!!

We go to Nan and Poppop's for dinner and presents tonight and then we move tomorrow!

I think Jackson is trying to be a Christmas baby!!

He has been kicking and punching all morning, trying to claw his way out!!!!

Praying next year we'll be celebrating with him!!!!!

(he even got a gift from Gma and Gpa this year)

The girls did ask why Santa didn't bring him anything... they were kind of offeneded that he hadn't!!!

I don't want to ever forget Jenni standing at the tree and saying "Hey, we wrapped Morgan's gift in the same wrapping paper as Santa!!!"  I tried to be sooo careful about that too!!!!  

Then, Jaylee picked up her stack of books from Santa (still wrapped) and said something to the point of how heavy they were and what could they possibly be?!?!  Jenni exclaimed, matter-of-factly "It must be a brick!!"  Why wouldn't it be, Jenni?!?!?

It is a merry merry merry merry Christmas in the Stringham household!!!

************************************

We went to Nan and Poppop's at 4 for dinner.

Yummy Filet, mashed potatoes and a delicious chocolate cake!!

The kids got more-than-spoiled, once again, and loved every minute of it!!!!

Not only a great Dad, but a involved Uncle too!!!  LOVE HIM!!!

Jaylee and her Pillow Pet...

she also got a collection of Creepy Crawlers, a Wii game and a pet frog!

Jennibelle with the guitar she's been hoping for!

She also got art supplies, a Zhu Zhu pet, a Wii game and a pet frog!

I think Meg liked her collection of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia DVDs!!


Nan & Poppop opening their 8/28 book,

When we got home, Jenni was sooo very excited to put on a concert for us.
She was sooo into it, and took her music very seriously!
She rocked and we loved watching her!!!!