Christmas 2014

Christmas was great for the kids.

James & I thought really hard about all the presents we gave this year.  We didn't want to just buy stuff.  We decided to try the 4 Gift game plan & I think it worked out perfectly!

I swear the kids had extra energy that morning & woke up super early.  Haha, it didn't matter.  We waited until 8 am to see what Santa had brought & to open up presents.

-Elise did really well with not touching any of the presents over the past two weeks-

Santa brought Elise:

Pajamas

Socks

Minnie Mouse figure

Marshmallows

Santa Brought Madison:

Pajamas

Socks

Underwear

Airheads

Frozen Magnet Doll Book

Santa Brought Jaxson:

Pajamas

Socks

Underwear

Airheads

New Size 4 Soccer Ball

Santa Brought Jordan:

Pajamas

Socks

Underwear

Airheads

New Size 5 Soccer Ball

Elise tried to eat the marshmallows through the bag.

Something You NEED:

I sat each kid down individually a month ago & asked what they needed.  I didn't probe for any answers, and what I got surprised me.  Jordan, Jaxson & Madison all asked for some form of Church clothes.  I thought it was hillarious.  So all 4 kids got new church outfits.  My hope is to get super cute family pictures taken in them.

Something to WEAR:

The boys asked for long sleeve shirts, and Madison begged to get a hoodie sweatshirt (just like what Mom wears).  Elise got a cute outfit, and Madi, Jordan & Jaxson got fun new LS Shirts & hoodies.

Something to READ:

I like to get the kids books each year for Christmas.  Elise got this fun Alice in Wonderland book, Madison got a Frozen book, Jaxson got #33 & #34 of the Magic Treehouse Book Series, and Jordan got the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book (which he's already done with).

-Side note- 

This year I wrapped everything in boxes & then wrapped the boxes up.  I figured if Elise got through the wrapping, nobody would see the present.  It also helped in the kids not guessing what they were getting for Christmas.

FAMILY ACTIVITY

This year, we decided to get Lagoon Season Passports.  The boys reactions were fun because they could read the slips of paper.  Madison started screaming with excited before she knew what the present was because her brothers were excited.  We're excited to have some family fun this summer (along with all the camping we'll do & Disneyland).  Bonus is that our good friends also got passes.

Something You WANT:

Again, I talked with each one of my kids (well...the ones that can have conversations with me) & asked them for 1-2 things that they really wanted for Christmas.

Jordan has been wanting a watch with a timer (so he can time how it takes him to go running)

Jordan has also been begging for a new bike.  This kid is growing up!  It really is time for him to move up into the "BIG" bikes, and this one allows him to grow-into a bike.  James and I hid the bike over at my parents for over a month, and then brought it home Christmas Eve and stuck it in the food storage room.  We asked Jordan to go downstairs and grab some sodas to put in the fridge.  James & I waited for screaming and yelling, and instead got a very confused 9 year old. "Mom, Dad....why is there a bike in the storage room".  Goofball.  He's been sad that he hasn't had the chance to test it out yet.  Good snowstorms came in on Christmas & it's been freezing ever since.

Madison asked for a Frozen Elsa doll and anything Doc McStuffins or Sofia the First. These requests took some looking (dang popularity), but we found a cute Doc doll and an Elsa doll.

Jaxson has been wanting the new Skylanders game & Fifa 15 (he also asked for a Soccer ball....good thing Santa brought that).  I told him that getting two games was probably going to be out of the question.  Thankfully, I got some really good deals, and we were able to fulfill his wishes.

His reactions says it all!

And then there's Elise.  She got a cute Baby doll...who's almost as big as she is.  But she carries that doll around.  

For years, James has been wanting a new flyrod.  I asked Dave for help because I'm clueless when it comes to fishing stuff.  So Dave ordered a kit, and made James a beautiful fly rod.  It brought James to tears and made me happy.

We spent the rest of Christmas playing video games, eating yummy breakfast, and spending Christmas afternoon at the Nelson house for dinner.

I love my Family.