Christmas is over?

I wish Christmas were on January 15th or something. It is too smooshed next to Thanksgiving. We run around like crazy for almost 2 months...and then...nothing. NOTHING but cold, long, days. Seriously. We all need to go on strike and change the date of Christmas.

Anyway, here are some highlights of our Christmas:


We went caroling around our neighborhood with some friends from our church. Brinly had the sniffles, so Dan took her home after a few houses. It was so fun, and I LOVE my NEIGHBORS and FRIENDS!

Look what Miss-Smarty-Pants is up too:

Oh yes.

She is PULLING HERSELF UP on furniture!

What is this child trying to do to me?!

But, that's not all...

look what I caught her doing...

just MINUTES later:

She can climb the stairs!

So, her crib has been lowered, and now we'll have to bust out the gates.

Oh, yeah.

She's busted.

Drool from the mouth and all.

 Good thing she's the sweetest baby ever!

I know you all got our lame family picture. (If you didn't, let me know! I probably misplaced your address and didn't realize it!!)

 It [the lame family picture] was the only one we had of our entire family together, and I knew that a "nice" one just was not going to happen in time.

I was determined to get one of the kids in their Christmas sunday clothes, so I got them ready for church EARLY, one Sunday (I know, a miracle in and of itself) and got a few pictures taken before Dan got home from meetings and I had to rush out to rehearse a few musical numbers..

(Sigh) Aren't they so beautiful?!

Christmas Eve we made cookies together. I have a hard time making sugar cookies with the kids because I'm such a control freak. I was determined this time to let the kids cut out their own cookies, even if they got swished, or had multiple cookie-cuts in them because they didn't pay attention to where they were placing the cookie-cutters.

I did have to roll the dough out myself though...

They did a great job. Maybe we'll do it again...sometime. :)

At least that was what I was thinking while I was finishing the preparations for our Christmas Eve dinner and the kids were "happily" playing with the left-over dough.

Yes, we were in the same kitchen...

...and almost tripping over each other...

...And I totally failed to see what they were REALLY doing..

What a mess! It was everywhere!

Oh well.

I only had 1 hour  to be grumpy before our friends were to arrive for dinner.

Christmas Eve in their matching jammies:

The Christmas tree stocked.

What?
What's that you say?
There's something wrong with the bed?

The mattress is too long for the box spring?

DOH! You're right!

(Wish we had noticed that a month ago before we snuck it into the garage, leaned it by the garage door that we never open, and water seeped in through the "protective" plastic wrap, and caused it to have water dammage so we CAN'T return it! Yeah...we had lots of surprised Christmas Eve....)

Yes, I'm still trying to get over it.
 I'm. Not. Upset.

Promise.

(AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!)

On the bright side....Michael is thrilled with his new bed! (after all, what 4 year old wouldn't be?)

And, if he takes after his dad, like his growth chart is predicting...he'll enjoy the extra 6 inches of bed.

This is his stash of goods.

 (No he didn't get all those blocks for Christmas, but just some to add to the collection and building fun, as you'll see below...)

Chelsea and her stuffs.

Brinly-girl. Can you tell how giddy she is about her peas and carrots?!

I got a George Foreman grill! YAY!

And Dan got...

a tie.

From Chelsea.

(Hey! It's not my fault he didn't believe me when I said "No gifts this year!") :)

We didn't get a "White Christmas" but it did snow last night and the few nights before.

Chelsea and Michael made this friend, whom they have loving named "Frosty."

Chelsea even took this picture by herself!

Too bad they built him on the driveway.

Right in front of the garage door.

Where the minivan is parked...

...and had to back out to go grocery shopping.

= no more Frosty.

And Lastly...this is why the kids wanted more MEGA blocks.

Of course, Dad was there to help. Michael was giggling all the way down stairs when he asked me to come see the "surprise".  When I entered the playroom, there was a note that said "Push the green button."

Do you see it?

Kinda looks like his belly-button?

Anyway, I pushed it and I heard a voice that said "I am a Robot. I am going to eat you" I had no idea where the voice was coming from (the closet) or who it was (Chelsea) but I squealed and hi-tailed it out of there (according to Dan's prompting...)

So, the bottom line is, we're still having a party over here! 

2010, here come the Perry's!