Merry Christmas!!

We had a a really good Christmas this year! The kids woke up around 7am and could hardly wait to get out to the tree. Every year up to this point we have had the kids eat breakfast before opening presents, but I knew that wouldn't fly this year! We also say every year that we aren't going to go crazy with Christmas, but why even say it because we always go overboard. It's just too fun! The kids opened their stockings and gifts and then we made them eat breakfast and told them they had to get dressed to go outside to see another really big gift that wouldn't fit in the house. Emma thought maybe it was a giant snowman! :) Emma was lucky enough to receive 2 of the same gift! Santa and Aunt Stevi think alike, but we are going to exchange one pony play set for another at the store. Jon and I already got our own gifts. I got an iPod touch and Jon got a new bow. But we still filled stockings for each other. Jon's had cologne in it and mine had an iTunes gift card! After breakfast it was time to show the kids their swing set. Jon put in about 20 hours of work putting it together. Luckily Ron was able to help with some of it. We told the kids that he was building a fence and every time he would get a big piece put together he would hide it on the side of the house. One day Derrick looked out the window to see all the wood in a pile and said, "Whoa, dad is sure doing a good job buldin' that fence!" Good thing 3 and 5 year olds are easily fooled! Their reaction to the swing set was exactly what we hoped for! They loved it and stayed outside most of the day. It was probably in the 30's when we first took them out there, but they didn't care! That afternoon we went to my parents house for Christmas dinner and present exchange with cousins. My parents gave us money, which we will use to take the kids to the Wildlife World Zoo in Phoenix. It was a wonderful day and I found myself crying in my prayers last night just being thankful for such an amazing husband and 2 great kids! We are truly blessed! Merry Christmas!