I love Christmas 2010!

Kendra and I had the best Christmas!  After a delightful Christmas Eve together, we got the goodies ready for Santa.  Four chocolate chip cookies, milk in a Santa mug, and 9 mini carrots, one for each reindeer.

Kendra wrote a note, as always, and thanked Santa for all he brings her each year.  This year she also left a selection of polished rocks for him to choose from as a souvenir! 

Kendra slept like a rock, but I woke up almost hourly!  Crazy.  As per usual, I woke up first, and I tried sneaking out to start the breadmaker for our brunch with the Ballards, but Kendra heard me and popped right up.  She came out to see the bounty under the tree...

All those gifts are for Kendra!  Goodness.  Mr. Claus and I need to keep a list next year as we shop---this might have been a bit overboard!  Kendra's gifts seemed to come in twos this year---two nailpolishes, two lip glosses, two games (Monopoly Electronic Banker and Bop It), two movies (How to Train a Dragon and Toy Story 3), two Wii Games (Wii Resort and Daring Games for Girls).   She also got an American Girl outfit for her dolls, a pillow buddy frog, a book, and assorted other cute things in her stocking.  We also got her a Snuggie, and there is a lady that my friend told me about who makes AG doll clothes who custom made a Snuggie for her doll!

Next, we got ready to head over to the Ballards to spend a wonderful day with them.  We had a brunch spread, and Kendra and I brought Panera bagels (YUM), homemade bread, some flavored butters and cream cheeses, and fresh pineapple. 

When we got to the Ballards, the family practically pounced on me and told me to hurry and open my present.  As always, we were spoiled ROTTEN by our dear friends.  My gift was the ginormous, awkwardly wrapped item right there in the doorway.  Because of its shape, I knew what it was before tearing off the wrapping, but I kept shaking my head the whole time and saying, "You really didn't."  Here are Kendra and Olivia on my gift.

I have been saying since I moved into my house almost three years ago that I wanted an elliptical skiier machine for my front room because I have no means to exercise easily.  Seriously?  I had NO idea this was coming, and I am thrilled beyond measure!  Look out jeans, you are about to get looser!  By the way, coincidentally (or not?) my Gift for Jesus (see post previous) involves being healthier.  Wow.

Next, we had the Ballards open their gifts from us.  Our gifts are paltry in comparison--I simply cannot out-do their generosity with us, nor do they expect it one bit.  This year, we got them all the same thing---just different varieties...

Yep, I got them all Nerf Blasters!  I had them rip them open all at once, and you should have seen the chaos of them all trying to get their blaster out of the packaging fastest so they could be the first to attack!  These two were the biggest kids in the bunch, I think...

I think Sophie might have told me she loved me about a dozen times.  She loves those things, apparently, and has wanted one for a while!  Happy to oblige, and what's wrong with encouraging a little family violence anyway??  :-)

Kendra had yet to open her gift, and I knew what was coming so I had my camera at the ready.  Kendra had one item on her list this year that her parents and Santa were not going to fulfill.  She had already received her laptop as her HUGE gift from her dad and I, and in our house, Santa doesn't bring big ticket items.  But her heart still wished and wished for one thing...Felicity the American Girl doll who was being retired this year.  They will not be selling Felicity after the new year, and Kendra has wanted her for a long time.  She was trying to finagle ways to obtain her before she wasn't available anymore, but she doesn't need to now....

I wish I had run video on this instead....the scream that came as she tore open this package was HUGE.  I had tears in my eyes as her wish came true thanks to our amazing friends.

Olivia got the Elizabeth doll, which is also being retired because she is Felicity's best friend.  Fitting that these two girls, who are so very close, got best friend dollies for Christmas.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing, visiting with Scott and Sherry's parents, and playing.  I watched a movie on the big screen with Sophie and Belle (Inception---holy cow, that is a thinking movie!) while Kendra and Livvy played.  All in all, quite the perfect day.  Happy sigh.

One last photo...if you look closely, you'll see a few orange blurs as the Nerf Blaster posse discharged all their ammo at me in the sake of photo opportunity!

Merry, Merry Christmas!!!