Merry Christmas and Happy To You!

We left Paris around 10 PM Christmas Eve and arrived back home at midnight.  The plan was for the kids to sleep the entire way back and go straight to bed, but Marshall didn't pass out until half way home and Jack stayed up the entire way.  Marshall went to bed pretty quickly, but Jack was a bit wired.  We put the reindeer food on the back porch and put some of Sissy's homemade candies out for Santa with a tall glass of milk.  When Jack finally fell asleep around 1 AM, Santa's helpers got busy.

As usual, Marshall was the first to rise and he waited patiently for his brother.

Until he couldn't stand it anymore and went straight for the tricycle.

We finally broke down and woke Jack up around 8:30.  Jack is funny.  He doesn't do dramatic entrances or get overly excited.  In fact, he walked in, took a look at the loot and said "I'm still kind of tired."  Here are the kids trying out their new toys.  Jack with the "whackers" from the Whack-a-mole game he's been asking Santa for for months.

Marshall with their new gas grill (Daddy said no to a full kitchen set).

Jack with the Little Zoomers race track.

Both boys on their new wheels.  Jack made laps around the house on his new bike all weekend long, so of course we had to push Marshall around as well.  I screwed up on the trike.  Jack was actually with Mom and me when we bought it.  Originally, Mom and Dad were going to give it to Marshall until we decided that Santa would be bringing Jack a bike.  I'm all about compatibility, so if Jack got a bike then Marshall had to get a trike.  As soon as Jack saw it he said "Mommy, Sissy and me got that for Marshall."  Luckily, I convinced him that we actually bought Aiden a trike and Santa brought Marshall one just like it.  So far it seems that he bought it, but Mommy will have to stay on her toes more next year.

Max in his usual spot on Christmas day laid up in the bed protecting his new toy from Marley.

Jack is so weird when it comes to gifts.  I remember my sister and I always went through our Santa stuff and immediately started tearing into the gifts from Mom and Dad.  It took us all day long to get the boys through their gifts from us.  They would open one and take a break to play with it before opening another.  When Jack opened a pair of corduroys he said "Oh no!  Jeans!  Try again!"  These are my favorite gifts we bought the boys this year.  They are reversible superhero capes and masks.  Jack is really starting to get into imaginative play, so I thought it would be a big hit with him and decided Marshall needed a miniature version as well.  Jack's is Superman and Batman.

Marshall's is Superman and Wonderpets.

It was a fabulous Christmas!  We ate Christmas dinner in our pajamas, which was perfect.  Dessert was a birthday cheesecake Jack and I made for Jesus.  The kids were so worn out from the week's events that they slept in until 10:15 the next morning!  That alone was a gift!  Jack was a hoot!  After singing Happy Birthday to Jesus (his idea), Travis got him on video saying "Merry Christmas and Happy To You!"  Unfortunately, he turned the camera off right before the "Happy To You" part.  Still one week later he's insisting on listening to his Christmas music (because Santa is in his heart he informed me) and he doesn't want me taking down the tree in his room because he thinks it's beautiful!  He's already asking when Easter will be here and making his list for the bunny.  It's hard to believe another Christmas is behind us and I can't help but look forward to next year when Marshall will be getting into the spirit and fun of the season.