Presents in Use

Ben threw up one more time early Monday morning so we stayed upstairs until Jim, Fran, MV and Janey had left to go have Christmas with Fran's dad. We had lunch with Nana and Grandaddy and then headed home. We've had a fun week playing with all of their new things. We've had several beautiful, warm days this week so we've been able to go outside and play as well.

It took Ben three days to get good at pedaling. The first time out of the garage, I pushed him off and turned around to help Mollie on her tricycle and crash Ben has wrecked in our driveway. Thankfully, he jumped up and was ready to try again. There have been a few more wrecks as he's tried to learn how to use the brakes.

Like Ben, Mollie's legs are short and she can't reach the pedals yet on her tricycle. She learning how to push herself with her feet. Ben did that for years on his tricycle.

Mama packed Ben, Emalee, and Rylee each a box of art supplies that included a roll of tape. Ben had used an entire roll of tape by Saturday afternoon. This picture is taped to the oven.

Ben using one of his new motorized construction toys to demolish a bridge he built while watching Bob the Builder On Site Roads and Bridges (which was in his stocking). Ben got two motorized construction vehicles, which meant John had one to play with too. Later in the evening, while I was putting Mollie to bed I could hear them building together but couldn't take a picture.

Acting silly while I tried to take a picture of him in his new dragon (or dinosaur) hooded bath towel from Nana and Grandddy.

Mollie saying "cheese" for the camera in her new owl hooded bath towel.

Mollie feeding her baby "bananas." It's such a cute doll. It talks. It says things like "Mommy I'm hungry" and "I love bananas."

Maybe Mollie will eat the bananas instead of feeding her baby.

Another "cheese" picture with her new fairy soccer ball from Jim and Fran. No more fighting over the soccer ball. Mollie's girly ball is obviously hers.

Ben trying out his new "shovel rake" from Santa. This was the one random gift he asked Santa for when we visited him at the mall.

Building a road in the dirt with his new mini construction vehicles.

Elder Family

Our family.

Our family and Jim's family.

Putting the candles on the Happy Birthday Jesus cake with Nana.

Ben's favorite gift from Nana and Grandaddy -- a real guitar. And this is where the pictures end because after opening this gift Ben went to the bathroom and threw up in the sink. Hoping it was just over-excitement, we tried to eat supper, but he threw up again. Ben and I spent the rest of the evening upstairs watching Bob the Builder on the portable DVD player.

Close ups

Before Will and his family left, Ben insisted on taking all of our pictures. Here we all are from Ben's angle.

Second Round

After Ben and Mollie opened their gifts from Santa, we ate breakfast, got dressed and all went to church. After church, Will, Danielle, Emalee and Rylee came over for a second round of present opening and lunch.

Mollie climbed right on Ben's bycicle by herself saying, "bike, bike, bike."

Ben opening his gift from PawPaw. (MawMaw took no responsibility for it). As he unwrapped, Ben was saying excitedly, "Oh my, oh my, oh my goodness, my very own shotgun." It's a BB gun and is currently in the top of his closet. He and John and going to shoot it together soon.

Mollie unwrapping her favorite gift, a Baby Alive from Will, Danielle, Emalee and Rylee.

John posing with the Anti-Monkey Butt Powder from his stocking. Mama always put some kind of funny gift in John, Will, and Zac's stockings.

Santa Presents

We spend Christmas Eve with Mama and Daddy, but no worries Santa knows where to find us. He left Ben the new two-wheeler big boy bike that he's been wanting. The pink and purple tricycle was Mollie's gift from my parents.

John, Mollie, and I were asleep upstairs and woke up before Ben. Ben slept downstairs with Mama and Daddy and we had to wake him up to open his gifts.

Mollie was very worried that I was going to leave her at a strange place.

Excited to try out their new bikes.

Santa brought Mollie very domestic gifts -- a broom, dishes, pots and pans, and a vacuum cleaner.

Santa brought Ben a bike, a globe, Lego Duplos, and a set of card games (Old Maid, Go Fish, etc). A globe sounds like an odd gift for a three-year-old but Ben has been wanting a "world" since Mrs. Whitney brought one to Sunday School last year.

Watching Ben get the goodies out of his stocking.

Ben helping Daddy open the gift that Ben wrapped, a new GPS.

I was so excited about Mama's gift from Daddy that I convinced her to go ahead and open it -- a Nook.

Cookies for Santa

Ben was so excited about putting cookies out for Santa that he even posed for a picture, which is very rare these days. He's wearing his new pjs from Aunt Connie.

Christmas Eve

The yearly attempt to photograph all the great-grandchildren together.

PawPaw Sherman and Ella Kate.

Mollie and Olivia playing with Mollie's gift from Aubrey (or maybe Ella Kate. We draw names and I know this came from Cara), a high chair and baby.

Aubrey with the stuffed Simba and Nala from Ben.

Emalee and Rylee opening gifts.

Ben hanging out with Uncle Larry. He loves Uncle Larry. Uncle Larry even managed to sneak Mollie away from me for a few minutes. That was rare since Mollie was VERY clingy the whole time we were away from home.

I chose this picture just because it gives you a sense of the general chaos of opening presents. Normally after presents, we bundle up and go outside and pop fireworks. This year it was raining so we've postponed fireworks until our next trip home.