Merry Christmas..

To you and yours from me and mine! Santa dropped by last night after the boys finally went to sleep last night around 10:20. After our Christmas Eve service, where I read the Christmas story to all the little kids from Sally Lloyd-Jones' Jesus Storybook Bible, we came home to eat "dinner." We had pizza rolls (the hors d'oeurves of choice) and soft pretzels, the boys unwrapped their Christmas Eve present of new pajamas (grown-up plaid for SWK, Where the Wild Things Are" for Bounce, and Thomas (of course!) for Ju Ju). Then we watched a little Rudolf before the intermission of chocolate chip cookies and white donuts (Hostess powder...don't inhale..you'll choke!); then we finished up Rudolf and brushed the sugar off the pearly-whites, and shuffled them off to bed. Oh, yeah, the big boys were able to open their gift of watches before bed, and Ju Ju got a stuffed Thomas with a book that makes NOISE (what was I thinking?). For a long time after they went down, I could Thomas and Percy "toot-toot"ing from Ju Ju's room. But the big boys, for all their talk about wanting to see Santa, were out like proverbial lights. DH and I spent the rest of the night watching a movie, wrapping presents and taste-testing chocolate and white milk.

DH and I had a friendly wager going to see if SWK would wake before or after 7. Surprisingly, he didn't come into our room until 8:55. He and I laid in my bed until 9:05, and then we got up to get more white donuts and milk. SWK discovered the note Santa left saying thanks for the milk and cookies and encouraging the boys to always love Jesus with all their hearts. I let SWK check out the stockings, and it wasn't long before we were joined by a couple of other kids and a daddy. After reading the Christmas story and asking questions, the tearing into gifts began (it was actually quite organized with us all taking turns). Now I'm off to figure out how to knit. Only I've already tried and I can't even understand the directions (I was even reading the English version). There may be no hope for me as I have trouble with right and left and I seem to be all thumbs. (Added later: DH has helped figure the stinkin' directions out, so maybe (probably not) there's hope for me!)

Oh, and don't worry, Santa dropped off lots of Lego and Thomas paraphenalia. Ju Ju has already shared his new Thomas blanket from Aunt Cowgirl with Phoenix. He's sweet like that! (You'll also note that those pajama bottoms of mine? I've had them as long as I've had DH! I've sewn them up multiple times; I think DH is so glad! Or maybe he'd just as soon burn them. I like them.)

Bounce received Play-do for Christmas and boy was he happy to do this:

I think Ju Ju is worried about Phoenix, too, so he was checking her out with his new stethoscope while she was looking at him like he was nuts. Who says German Shepherd's are vicious?
SWK is so grateful that Mommy allowed Santa to bring Bionicles into her home. I think I'll find Santa before next year and have a little chat.
To add to our tradition of non-traditions, we're having gumbo for dinner/supper tonight. We had hot dogs two years ago; DH's choice...there was football to be watched. This year, I had visions of pork tenderloin with a raspberry chipotle sauce, but since DH and I would be the only ones to enjoy that and I'd have to make noodles and sauce for Bounce and Ju, and a PB & honey for SWK, I skipped it. I thought about making pizza, but since Ju Ju and I fell asleep on the couch around 4:30 (the time I needed to start the dough) and didn't wake up until 6, um, that wasn't happening either. So Zatarains it is! Merry Christmas, Y'all!