Christmas!!!!

I feel like Christmas snuck up on us this year.  Probably because Thanksgiving was so late.

Christmas was low-key but memorable.  It helps now that the kids are older and I can see their excitement build as we get closer and closer to Christmas.  It also helps that since we didn't go anywhere this year the tree was packed with gifts that were sent to us.  :)

We somehow got lucky Christmas morning and the kids stayed contained in their rooms until 8.  We should soak it in while it lasts!

 Connor/Troy scored from Santa this year.  Connor quickly realized how to best get his shot in.

I'm so grateful that Santa communicated to Grandma that Barbie was on her wishlist this year.  Phew!  We dodged a bullet on that one.

The rest of Christmas morning was spent playing with all their loot.  We had the missionaries and friends over for Christmas dinner.  I'm getting more and more confident in my turkey roasting skills!  I wish we had a picture of the whole spread - Roasted Turkey with a Maple/bourbon glaze, yummy carrots, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, biscuits, fruit with a yummy dip, a chocolate toffee cake, and a caramel apple pie.  It was all delicious and everyone walked away stuffed to the brim.

Unfortunately by day's end I was down for the count.  I couldn't swallow or talk without my throat killing me.  The next day wasn't much better.  Luckily, that Friday, I had a Dr. appt. and got some antibiotics for the sinus infection and that Troy had the rest of the week off.  

The rest of Winter break was spent hanging out and relaxing.  Brooke was "cast" in an infomercial.  She loved being primped for it and wasn't camera shy at all.

We'll just have to wait and see if she made the final cut.

The kids loved having Troy home all day for 6 days in a row.  They were spoiled with a lot of play and attention.  I loved having him around too!  Especially after I got sick a week later with the deathly stomach flu.  AWFUL!!!  It came all of a sudden, lasted 24 hours, and then was gone.  I didn't leave the bedroom at all that Friday.

Now, I'm we're on crunch time.  We've got just a little over 10 weeks before our new little guy will be making his debut.  I do have a feeling that we may be meeting him sooner than later.  We'll be playing musical bedrooms and painting up a storm.  Can't wait!