Our Gifts from God: Christmas 2011

This year Christmas was a little different at our house. Mostly because all of us weren't at our house... Mommy and Ruth were still stuck in the hospital on Christmas morning. But we were quickly discharged and were able to come home just after lunch! The older kids took naps when we got home, and when they woke up, we had our "Christmas morning."

The kids had no problem waking up when they heard it was time to open presents!!

Jacob shared the Christmas story, then we prayed and thanked God for baby Jesus and for Ruth, too. Then it was time to make a mess and open all those presents!

Nathan got a game for the wii - a penguin game.

He can't quite say penguin, so when he wants to play,

he'll flap his arms like a penguin and ask for the game. hehe

Faith had some trouble opening her gifts.

Big brother had no problems offering her help :)

Wow - a game!

Faith wanted to rip it open right away, until she learned there were more presents to open!

Faith got her Daddy a "drunken" Cookie Monster shirt.

And Daddy got Faith (and Nathan) a preschool devotional book.

And a new kids Bible to read through since the

ones we own have been reread a hundred times.

The kids adore Bible story time with Daddy each night.

Nathan got cowboy books from his Uncle Jr & Aunt Monica!

And he was very eager to see what Faith got each time, too.

This gift was from their great grandparents - a octopus washcloth and a bar of soap. Faith adores the octopus!!! She wiggles it around all the time. And, strangely enough, the bar of soap it came with is one of her favorite gifts, too - leave it to a 2 year old to prefer a bar of soap over other gifts. But she'll walk around the house saying, "Soap, where are you? soap? where are youuu?" It's cute!

Smarty pants, Jacob, tried to guess each of his gifts before he opened them. He guessed right on the 4-wheeler battery - before he'd even picked it up! But this time, he wasn't quite sure what he got from his Father...

Ammo! Nathan was impressed.

Yes, my husband is holding a 2 day old baby and 2 boxes of ammo at the same time... and it makes him happy ;-)

And Faith?? She was just as happy as could be to wiggle her octopus! hehe

Wow, a superman costume for Nathan!

Now he can match his sister when she dresses up as Super Woman,

or as she calls herself "Super Cute" - very fitting name, I think :)

A horse book from Uncle Jr and Aunt Monica!

And choo-choo books from Great Mama and Papa!

And a silly little girl :)

Nathan got the game Operation, the Toy Story version.

Faith was more excited about it - she kept screaming, "Buzz Lightyear game!"

It's been a favorite game for them to play already. Though we don't play by the rules, we just try to get the pieces out of Buzz and enjoy the alarm that goes off when the tweezers his the sides of the hole. But it's great fine motor skill practice for Nathan.

Nathan also got a t-ball set. Which he wanted to play right away. It, also, has turned out to be a favorite new toy.

Faith opened the kids' gift from Granny & Pa - a great book about a little boy in Texas. Granny & Pa also got the kids swim lessons for this summer - which they are going to absolutely LOVE!

And Daddy got some Elk jerky.

Nathan got a set of real tools - something he can use with

Daddy in his workshop and build some cool things together.

Faith got a Dora movie!

I think Nathan was jealous of that one ;-)

In fact, Nathan was a little jealous of everyone's gifts -

and all too eager to help them open their gifts, too.

Nathan got some wood craft kits to put together with Daddy,

using his brand new tool set.

Faith was excited about Candyland. But I think that's because she thought there was candy inside :)

After all the presents were open from under the tree,

it was time to find one more gift... where could it be??

Wow, that's a big present, what could be under there?

A kitchen set for Faith! Made by her Daddy!

Jacob did such a great job with the kitchen, it looks awesome and the kids adore it. I'll have to post another day about how he built it - he repurposed an old changing table we got at Goodwill. The transformation is pretty cool. And watching the kids play at it is so much fun!

But, little did Daddy know, there was still one more present to be found.

Nathan took Daddy upstairs to find it while Faith stayed behind and played with her new kitchen set.

"Daddy, look!" there's a giant present for you in the guest bedroom closet!

Jacob continued trying to guess what was inside before opening.

And he guessed ATV tires. Stinker... he was right!

I'd really hoped to surprise him. So when he guessed right, I was disappointed. But he says I still surprised him. After getting an xbox and new tv (that he won at his office Christmas party) just before Christmas, and then all the other gifts that he'd opened that afternoon... he never expected there could ever be more. But him winning a TV allowed me to use the secret TV fund (that he knew nothing about) to get him tires, too ;-)

I spent a few days online educating myself about ATV tires... learned all kinds of information I never plan to use again. But apparently the knowledge paid off, because I not only got the right sizes, but I actually picked the set of tires Jacob was drooling over (unknown to me). I'm glad I picked a good set and that he enjoys them! And talk about a redceck Christmas.... ATV battery, ATV tires, and ammo for Christmas. Oh yeah, and a newborn baby ;-)

After all the gifts were opened, and the mess cleaned up (somewhat), it was time to open stockings! Nathan was excited to get a new train.

And Faith loved the candy and oranges.

And her Dora underwear... my little attempt at letting her know she will soon be getting potty trained herself. Hopefully the Dora underwear brings some excitement to the process for her ;-)