Christmas Day - a Holiday in 3 Acts

If you've read our Christmas Eve post, you'll recall that Kristen unfortunately was pretty sick for Christmas this year. So we don't have any of the normal kid-jumping-up-and-down-because-Santa-came pictures. Even so, I think she enjoyed the day as much as she could feeling as lousy as she felt. So without further ado - 

Act 1: Christmas at Home

We opened our presents to the music of the season and the crackling of the....Yule Log!! OK, this is a tradition that you're not allowed to make fun of :) - you're only allowed to marvel at the wonderful idea that someone came up with so many years ago of televising a Yule Log as it burns for hours on end. Christmas music plays in the background, and it's fun to watch carefully to see if you spot the hand that comes out every once in a while to stoke the fire or put a new log on. It's captivating!

Kristen seemed just as excited about the lights on the tree that she'd seen there every day for the last couple weeks as she was for the presents that Santa had left underneath the tree. Go figure!

She definitely wasn't her usually chipper self, running circles around us. She sat quietly and tugged at wrapping paper and drank a cup of milk.

Act 2: Christmas with Extended Family

Next we celebrated Christmas with the extended family: my sister and brother-in-law, Katie and Mike, their four kids (Jessey, Aimee, Carrie, and Kiley), and my parents.

Just hanging out before the chaos that was opening presents. Here, my dad, Kiley, Jessey on the couch, my mom, and Carrie.

Kristen got a Sing and Strum Guitar that we've heard a lot of in the week since Christmas. She absolutely LOVES The Backyardigans, and she's really taken to this guitar. Maybe we have a future musician on our hands! (Luckily, Eric figured out how to turn the sound down on the guitar...whew!)

Jessey and Eric challenged each other...Wii would like to play. Well, they would like to play. This we wasn't really into playing, but watching was fun(ny!).

Kristen felt well enough to decorate some sugar cookies. Amazingly, with her sweet tooth, she didn't feel like eating them, but she made 'em pretty!

Act 3: Christmas with...Everyone!!!

ALL the family on my mom's side gather at my grandparents' house on Christmas afternoon/evening for dinner and the massive gift exchange (my mom has 3 sisters, who all have 2 kids, and they have kids...well, you get the idea!).

Kristen greeted my cousin's daughter, Summer, with a little kiss. Merry Christmas, Summer!

All the great-grandkids listening to Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma read the Christmas story.

Jessey got to be Santa's helper-elf to pass out the presents to everyone. It was a full house, but it's always fun to see everyone and catch up!

So there it is, out Christmas in 3 Acts. A busy whirlwind of a day (including Eric flying out of town Christmas night - more on that coming soon!), but overall a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of Jesus with our family! Merry Christmas!!