O what a Christmas! 2011

Whew!  These Christmas posts are lengthy.  Hang on... a couple more to go.

For us, Christmas morning started around 7:30am.  Not bad, huh?  Austin came sauntering in our bedroom and George asked, "Austin, did Santa come?"  Austin (very casually):  "Uh.... no.  I think he did not."  The girls were sure he was wrong!

Austin:  "Say cheese!"  

Here's a few videos... nothing too exciting... just thought the grandparents might want to see.

We always have to encourage Austin to "keep digging."  He likes to stop and play (and EAT!)

Elise got TWO packs of bubble tape which was her "very very favorite ever ever ever."
Austin kept shoving candy into his mouth.  He was so happy.  Here's a (kind of long) clip of what happened when we walked downstairs...
  

"Austin, are you going to come down or just eat candy?"

"Umm... just eat candy."

Lucy:  Hello Kitty sewing machine, Kanani (the Hawaiian American Girl) with fun accessories (ukulele, boogie board, etc)

Elise:  Princess digital camera, boogie board, twin baby dolls

Austin:  digital camera, boogie board, glow in the dark nerf gun (Geo kind of took over that... he loved the thing)

Cole:  musical drum, balls

Family:  mini stereo with microphone (Santa had a moment of insanity there.  Our family needs a microphone?  ha!)  and Blokus (this has been great too!  There is a little frustration as the toddlers make up their own version.  I admit Geo is the champion at squeezing his blocks into all sorts of spaces.  He says spatial relationships is a manly talent.  I think he is right.  I never pick the right size tupperware for leftovers either.  Ok.  Little diversion there.)

The cameras were definitely a hit!  You'll see a lot of those in the pictures.

ugh.  too much packaging.

Lucy loved her sewing machine!  She immediately started making plans to make her dad a shirt and Elise some doll clothes.

"Say cheese."

Cole was amazed with all the chaos.

Austin got a few add-ons for his train track - an animal train and more curvy pieces.  He loved it.

I thought one of the best gifts was a stack of paper (600 white and 800 construction) for the girls.  It was immediately put to use and they've already made quite a dent in it.

The funniest thing for me this year was the amount of "presents" Lucy gave us.  I think each person in the family got about 15.  We got drawings, "books" (written and illustrated by Lu), math problem pages (for Austin and Elise), lots of cards, etc.  She whips several pictures out at a time (more quantity interested than quality :).  She also "bought" us something at her open market (they get fake $ for good behavior and have a shopping market once a month).  Austin got cars, Elise got a pen, Geo got chocolate kisses.  Every day, Lucy (and usually Elise) would be at her desk making something or asking me for ideas.  Lucy painted a canvas picture for Geo's desk at work and made a duct tape wallet.  She made Austin a drum and Cole a mobile.  It was pretty cute!

While Lucy was making her gifts, Elise folded up wrapping paper in various sizes (most the size of pennies), taped them up several times and put them under the tree.  

Austin loved his handmade drum!

Elise looked like this most of the day.

The baby doll was immediately stripped down and her hair was "fixed."

Lu taking a picture of her doll

We did present opening in shifts.  First all the Santa stuff.  Then cold cereal or cinnamon rolls.  Cole slept while we opened family gifts.  Then church.  Then we skyped my fam and the kids opened their gifts.  Then skyped Geo's fam and they opened more gifts.  THANK YOU to everyone!  The kids definitely got a lot of fun stuff!  We also talked to both missionary brothers which is always a treat.

Cole got a Hawaiian quilt.  I've been working on it off and on for a year and a half.  It is a breadfruit pattern.  Hawaiian legend says that if your first Hawaiian quilt is a breadfruit quilt, you'll never go hungry. Good.  But I think it will be my first and only.  It was a lot of work.

Mobile from Lucy

Church was at 1:00.  And of course, we were rushing to get there.  These pictures are taken when we got home and more than one kid was starving. 

We had a wonderful Christmas and feel very blessed.  Hope the same is true for you!

Mele Kalikimaka!