This Christmas season has been a blessing for many reasons. On the eve of Christmas Eve my Christmas present that I really wanted/needed arrived just in time for Christmas Eve dinner. Our family table. We have been without a table for a few months...and there's something about sharing a meal together that is so special, and now we can finally get back to doing just that, being a family around the kitchen table. Oh and there are two extra spots, so feel free to stop on by!
Another blessing this Christmas season is being able to spend lots of time with Dennis. We've had a lot of time to spend together with Matt having three weeks off from work. It has been a blessing...because I wanted the focus of Christmas this year to be 'presence' not 'presents.' That's the way it should be every year.
We had a nice dinner with my mom and Matt's parents...on our new table! It was perfect.
Christmas eve was spent at our house with dinner and a movie. Max started barking at something outside...my mom said, 'maybe it's Santa.' - and by golly it was! Mia was so excited, but Madison wasn't so sure.
Wow Santa, have you lost weight?! 'Mrs. Claus' apparantly did not help Santa get ready to visit the McPoland children.
Mia sat on Santa's lap first...
Madison saw that mia was ok, so then she sat on Santa's lap too.
This is where Santa asked, 'Ashley, have you been naughty this year?' - The face says it all.
Alyssa is as sweet as ever...I bet she will be surprised this Christmas.
My turn.
Oh Santa...I love you.
I wish I had better pictures of Madison's face and her look of excitement about Santa coming to her house...just precious.
We watched a movie (Flipped, I highly recommend it!) and then after the movie Matt read the Christmas story from the Bible.
Christmas Eve 2010 ~
Christmas morning...
My girls...CHRISTmas 2010.
Me busily watching Dennis giving himself shots...what a perfect opportunity to practice my nursing skills.
Ohhh, new earings. Love it - as teenagers do.
Waiting to get a CBC...
Christmas Dinner at my Mom's House ~
The girls by the fire...
Youngest gets to go first... ~ Madison. Oh it was so fun to watch her, she was so excited ( and maybe a little over-stimulated...) but she was so cute.
Hugs to Grannie...
Mia's turn...
I think everyone liked Mia's 'make-up' gift...
Alyssa loved her gifts...
...and Zoey only wanted to watch Alyssa - she was very interested in what she was doing.
Ashley liked her gift basket...'iStuff'...how cute.
Madison was precious. Four years old I've decided is the perfect age for opening presents at Christmas. The anticipation is the funnest thing to watch - and the actual thing is even better.
Ohhh, new earings. Love it - as teenagers do.
We spent part of Christmas morning in the Chandler ER just to get a blood test for Dennis. Thankfully, it didn't take too long, and we were home before noon. It made me think of all the people who were in there for various ailments, and couldn't be with their families, and how thankful I should be to be with my own family.
Waiting to get a CBC...
Christmas Dinner at my Mom's House ~
The girls by the fire...
Youngest gets to go first... ~ Madison. Oh it was so fun to watch her, she was so excited ( and maybe a little over-stimulated...) but she was so cute.
Hugs to Grannie...
Mia's turn...
I think everyone liked Mia's 'make-up' gift...
Alyssa loved her gifts...
...and Zoey only wanted to watch Alyssa - she was very interested in what she was doing.
What a blessed day we all had together as a family. I hope you had a Merry Christmas with your loved ones as well!
