Happy birthday, Jesus! Day

We don't take for granted that our day began with sweet snuggling with our oldest girl at around 7:10 before we leisurely went in to wake up her sisters and begin the day 20 minutes later. I know some homes begin Christmas morning before the sun is up. That may be us next year! 

Abby Jane asked Santa for a princess book, Joy asked Santa for a new book about Christmas, and Blythe asked Santa for a princess coloring book. Sure enough, those items were waiting for the girls when they woke up! We also fully appreciate the sweetness of such simple requests.

 Amazingly, those silly reindeer made a mess of their food on the front steps.

 Then we opened stockings. This age is just delightful in how thrilling simple items are to them!

 We did our last day in our Jesse tree readings, and we hung the last ornament on our Jesse tree.

Then grandparents arrived and breakfast was served. We do Emily York's Holiday French Toast (with apples and cranberries baked into it!) every year. It is fabulous.

After breakfast, we read Luke 2 and began a new tradition of a scavenger hunt to find our Baby Jesus from our Little People nativity set. Just like the shepherds and wise men searched for Jesus on Christmas morning, the girls had to find several clues attached to candy canes around the house that led them to Baby Jesus before we could get on with the gifts. Grandparents helped read the clues they found along the way. Turns out Baby Jesus was eating Jake's cereal, known as Daddy Cereal (and in Jodi's home, "Uncle Jake's cereal") a.k.a Quaker Oat Squares. Once Jesus was safe and sound back in the stable with Mary and Joseph, the present opening began!

 Joy watching Blythe open up the Minnie Mouse bracelet she had perfectly selected for her twin.

The girls completely came up with this idea on their own.  A new coffee mug for Daddy. With this particular picture on it. They were amazed I was able to actually make that happen! Daddy loved it, too.

 Grammy was really surprised with a gift from Greg and Susan and kids under our tree. Our Manila family plans really far ahead when they visit in the summer. :)

 The hit of the day was the girls' headlamps that can be white or red light. Funny girl here thought of putting it on her nose and being... you guessed it... Rudolph.

 Blythe was very pleased with all new accessories. Gloves from Abby Jane, bracelet from Joy, headlamp from Mom and Dad. We all know our Boo. When she attempted the Rudolph look, her headlamp fell to her chest, and she was delighted to discover that it triples as a necklace.

 Mimi and Bop Bop (who just couldn't make it more than 10 minutes into present opening before he was wearing bows as well) gave our resident ballerina this precious pillow- "Dance unto the Lord". It was popular.

 Blythe and Joy weren't particularly excited or interested in their new painted letters with polka ribbons. They didn't know they were holding the one decoration I was allowing in their new big girl room that was about to transpire. With twins... the decor when you let the tigers out of their cages has to be exceptionally minimal.

So while these two broke down cribs and assembled Jake's childhood beds that we spent a couple of days painting last week...

the girls were entirely oblivious and engrossed in new books and new toys and two engaging grandmas.

 We had a new reader arrive when Grandaddy and Granny Joan came!

Then we pulled out one last gift for Miss Abby Jane- just the thing for ballerina who really is also an aspiring artist! Her favorite color at the moment is purple and the lap table actually already had the ballet shoes painted on when I picked it out- don't you love when those kinds of things just come together?

 Blythe and Joy had one last mysterious gift, too.

 What does a girl need a big girl blanket for?

 Let's go look in your room and see!

 They were ready for bed right away!!!!

 But we had to first give extra hugs to Bop Bop, who helped in the prepping, painting, and assembling of their new beds!

Then we had a lovely Christmas dinner, joined also at that point by my Aunt Becky and Uncle Richard... noticeably missing were the three girls who were busy having "just girls time" in the "new" room.

 Eventually one surfaced to read one of her new BOB books. These are JUST fabulous for early readers, y'all. I think I may have been one of the last to hear of them, but if I'm not, go get some for your early reader!

 Blythe contentedly reading a new princess book with her headlamp necklace.

My favorite gift of the day, from Jake the girls. My old slippers looked like the dog had gotten ahold of them. And we don't have a dog.

This is the way we went to bed that night and every other night this week. The twins' beds can be bunked, and I wouldn't be surprised if we have three little girls who decide we need to do that to make room for Abby's bed within the next year!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!