Let it be Christmas

 The stockings were hung, and it was finally time for Santa to make his appearance.  Just a little late, but Santa always knows where he needs to be.  It helps that I've always been on good terms with Santa.  "Santa? I KNOW him!"

On Wednesday, Matthew opened one gift from under the tree, and got right to work on a new Lego game.

Soon he had the game ready to challenge Uncle David and Daddy.

I think the big boys got schooled.

David and Shylah had lunch with Grandma and Grandpa (Josh, Elizabeth, Jim, and I went too).  They weren't able to be here when we celebrated Christmas with the Stewarts since it's a bit far from North Carolina.

Happy Haleigh sporting a diaper and wrapping paper on the night before Santa came.

She is showing Aunt Fer that she's "so big!"

We tried to get a picture of Matthew and Haleigh in their Christmas jammies.  This was right before she wiped out on the floor in front of the fireplace.

We switched to the chair since it seemed a bit safer.

Then Matthew and Gumbo shared a snuggle.

Hay is all ready for bed in her sleep sack.

And they remembered to leave some cookies and milk for Santa.  Matthew decided to leave M & Ms for the reindeer.

In the morning, we saw that Santa (and reindeer) had enjoyed the treats.

Haleigh and Grandpa were waiting to open presents.  Hay took a little snooze with her hat on her eyes.

I think they were working on a spread sheet.

Haleigh was first to open a present, with help from big brother Matthew.

It was a Wheely Bug.  In Purdue colors, of course.

Matthew got a Wizard's Castle, and put it right together.

He also got the King's Castle, and put it together too.

Big Jon and Matthew worked on the Turtle Reptangles before Jon headed out to celebrate the new year.

Two cool dudes.

Day at the Museum

Nana took Matthew to the Children's Museum on Thursday.  I didn't go along, so I gave her my little camera and she took a few shots to document the day.  Please understand that she's not really used to operating a camera. :)  I took this one before they left.

He liked the water clock in the main hall.

In the Arctic exhibit, he found out how his weight compares to a polar bear's.  He weighs the same as a three month old polar bear. 

Here he was checking to see how far it is from Louisville to the North Pole.  He is a map lover.

They checked out the trains.

He loved the dinosaurs.

He spent some time on a computer game.

And he posed at the bottom of the Jolly Slide.  The line was sooooooo long, that they decided to pass on the trip down the slide.

He was excited to visit the gift shop to select his Christmas gift from Nana.

He looked carefully at everything.

And finally decided on a Lego set (although I don't think it was this one.)  He will act surprised when he opens it at Nana's house.

They met up with Andrew and Darci afterwards, and headed home after a great day at the museum.

It's a Puzzlement

Jennifer almost always receives a puzzle for Christmas.  She likes working them, and she's good at it.  So even though we haven't really had "Christmas" yet, as far as gift giving goes, the puzzle found its way into her hands so she could get started.
Caroline stopped by on Christmas evening, and joined Jennifer and Bryan in the puzzle working.  Or maybe she was texting?  And the two sleeping Corgis were no help at all.

Appropriately, it was a dog puzzle.  1000 pieces!

By Sunday afternoon, they had it completed.  No, they didn't work on it all night.  In fact, we had a late night Taboo game on Saturday.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that.  Let's just say the best team won. :)

The Christmas puzzle has become a tradition for us, along with playing games together.  What are the fun traditions or favorite games at your house?

Joy to the World!

We celebrated Christmas Eve at Greensburg United Methodist Church, as I have since I was a little girl, and we were blessed to have our family home, filling two pews, for this special service.  The sanctuary looked so nice.  The platform in the front, with the manger, was for the Children's Pageant part of the service.  According to Nana, who had helped with the preparation, it would be a Christmas miracle if they actually got through it.

No worries though, as it went off without a hitch, and the little angels were all, well, angels.  I was too far away to get any good pictures, but I did take one that I wanted to post.  They were just so darn cute.  Of course our grown up Stewart kids recognized the angel wings and the sheep hats from their own days up front at church.  Jonathan said, "I'm so glad our parents didn't embarrass us by making us do that kind of stuff.  Oh wait..... they did."  Yes, we did.

We even got those grown up Stewart kids to pose for a couple photos after church.  Still cute.

Christmas morning, we celebrated with breakfast together, but we will save our gift giving for later this week when the kids come back.  David and Shylah, and Andrew and Darci and the kids headed out right after breakfast to celebrate with the other side of their families up north.

Of course, I had to get a few photos of cute little Haleigh all dressed up in one of her Christmas outfits.  She has several.  : )

She is really starting to walk now, and it won't be long before she's off and running.

I liked this sassy little smile.

Jennifer took some sweet candy shots.

And Matthew and Haleigh sat together for some Christmas morning photos.

Sweet kids, sweet treats.

And even sweet dog Emma posed in front of the tree.  It was a Merry Christmas morning!