December 25, 2016-Merry Christmas

(click here for today's pictures)

  • Our alarm went off at 6:30 and we could already hear lots of excitement upstairs. The girls had been awake when we finally decided to get our presents ready last night. I hope that they did sleep some last night since they were already wide awake this morning. We were pretty convinced that Whitman would be awake too since the boys were talking and laughing in their room but he was still sound asleep when I came in his room.
  • Robby had turned on the chime that rings if someone walks through their hallway last night and we were surprised that no one tried to sneak down the stairs last night. (Though Robby did quickly head to the foot of the steps last night when the timer on the oven went off and he thought it was their hallway chime.)
  • We had told the kids that it would be 7:00 before we came upstairs to get them but it was around 6:45. The girls had already been combing their hair and changing their earrings and the boys were already wide awake. Poor Whitman was sleeping soundly but there is no snoozing on Christmas morning at the Dennie house.
  • Robby videoed the kids coming down the steps and seeing the living room absolutely full of presents. Santa gives each kid a present, we give each one a present and then they draw names. This year most everyone bought each other a little present from the dollar store so that greatly added to the present piles. 
  • When they made it down the stairs, everyone found their spots and dumped their stockings on the floor. The stockings were completely loaded down-every year Santa seems to forget how small our stockings actually are. I am actually going to have to sew a few of them up before I put them back in the attic.
  • Here is the present rundown-Reagan received a bike (white and blue-not pink or purple), movie gift cards and a toy turtle that swims from Campbell. Anderson opened a huge lego box (I don't remember the name but he sure will tell you all about it.), a drone and more legos from Keaton. Graham was thrilled with his new bike, drone and his legos from Anderson. Campbell got a paint set, doll bed and even a shopkins doll from Whitman. Keaton received bike accessories, doll house and a big bouncy ball from Reagan. Whitman finally got his trex from Santa, a bike and Spiderman and little trucks from Graham.
  • The kids took turns opening their presents but somehow Robby and I didn't even open a present until they had all finished. Our stockings are a little bit bigger than the kids and they were completely filled too. Robby received a camera chip, jumper cables, tennis shoes and a pull over. I opened a snowman bag, a crockpot and a dutch oven. 
  • As soon as we had opened everything, Robby and I ran to the kitchen to start on breakfast-monkey bread and breakfast burritos. Everything was just about ready when the grands and Jason all showed up. The kids had made notecards to give to Nonna and Grannymom for them to use throughout the year along with quite a few Christmas cards.
  • We all ate and then we ended up outside-Reagan and Graham could not wait to ride their bikes. Whitman could really care less about his bike but he did sit on it for a few pictures. Campbell needed her doll carrier from Grannymom installed on her bike and Keaton put her bike accessories on her bike. It was like we were a bike workshop but soon everyone was riding in the wet misty weather.
  • When the grands left, we worked on straightening the house. The kids helped move presents upstairs to their present piles in the bonus room. Two nights of presents plus this morning makes quite big piles. Campbell and Anderson even have stuff in their pile from their birthdays. The house was pretty much picked up by the time that we jumped in the car to head to Dana's house for Christmas lunch.
  • Dana had 3 types of lasagna and salad for lunch. It was a pretty great lunch and pretty relaxing. The kids and Robby eventually headed outside for some drone flying lessons from Cash.  I heard that the boys did pretty well but I also heard that Robby almost flew one into a creek and on to the roof of two different houses.
  • We came home around 3 and Lilly and Cash came with us. This kept the kids occupied and we decided to take down the Christmas tree. The kids were busy building with the giant jenga that I had made for them, melting crayons into rings and building legos.
  • Cash went home around 6 but Robby and I continued to work while the kids played until 8. I am not really sure why it took us 5 hours to put everything up-well, we did have a hot water tank problem in the middle of our work. Last year I was bummed about taking the tree down on Christmas but this year, I am perfectly fine with it. The kids were occupied and we are now exhausted!
  • I fed the kids and then we sent Whitman to bed before starting a movie for the others. They watched one movie while I fed them popcorn, m&ms and coke. Then we even let them start another movie before heading to bed tonight.

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