Christmas at our house

We opened our gifts on Christmas morning once everyone was up, though B and I didn't get any gifts this year, so it was really the kids doing the opening. Actually, later that day I was pleasantly surprised with lots of cold hard cash to go shopping with the next morning, so I was a happy girl. The kids each got 4-5 small gifts, nothing huge, because they're at an age when they don't really need 'things,' plus I don't want to fill the house with clutter they're not going to use or appreciate. I thought about the best things to get them and spent a lot of time finding the best gifts for them this year, so I was pretty disappointed when both Mila and Olivia opened their gifts with so little gratitude this year. Olivia hated her new lion hat, saying she wouldn't wear it, she thought her Blabla pillow (that she requested months ago) was weird because it didn't have eyes, and she started crying that she had only four gifts to open. Mila asked why her Blabla cat looked so weird, and I couldn't find the specific Zinkies she requested in any store so she got a substitute and pouted while opening it. It was a downer for sure--and I don't know if it's just kids being kids or if we really messed up with them somewhere. :) Thank goodness Ben was completely happy with all his things. B had a talk with the kids about being grateful for all the things God blessed them with, all the things I do for them, and all the things they have, and that it was enough, and then we all solemnly got up to get ready for church. Definitely not the most cheerful Christmas morning ever, but I will play that video for them when they grow up and we can all laugh about it then.

Stockings are one of my favorite things to do for them, and they get so excited about all their trinkets. This year I think I did pretty gooood.

Olivia loves her little panda, and when asked what she got for Christmas, that's the thing she mentions. Love.

Mila will love these pictures when she's older. Check out her look of disappointment when she opened the gift I thought she would love the most...

xoxo,
Tanya