Christmas Morning

I really had a hard time buying gifts for the kids this year.  They don't really need much, and they didn't ask for a whole lot either.  The one thing that they did want was a laptop.  The laptop ended up being the one "big" thing that Santa brought. This was really like a gift to Brian and myself.  Maybe now the kiddos will stay off of our computers.  In addition to the computer, Olivia and Owen also received clothes, art supplies, and various other goodies from Santa.

Our Christmas morning began around 7:30.  I'm so glad that the kids still sleep in on Christmas morning.  I remember that my siblings and I use to get up around 4 a.m.- which I thought was cool when I was younger (not anymore).  Anyway, the kids played with their Santa gifts for a few hours while I went to the church to see if I could help with the Christmas breakfast.  When I got back home it was time to open the gifts under the tree.  Brian and I gave Olivia a dollhouse for her Barbies, and we gave Owen some G.I. Joe toys.  The toys that ended up being the most popular were the Dream Light pillow thing that I picked up at the last minute.  That was the "one thing" that they both chose to take to Granny Buie's house for Christmas dinner.  Although it was a fun day, it was very tiring.  I had to come home after lunch to take a nap.  We ended the night by reading the Christmas story out of the Bible and talking about the true meaning of Christmas.  I know that it is easy to get swept up in all of the "stuff" that goes on at Christmas.  I think it's okay to participate in these festivities, but I also feel it's important for us to remember what it is we're truly celebrating.  I really tried to drive that point home with the kids this year, and I think that   they got it (as well as 4 and 6-year-olds can).