Merry Christmas

For Christmas Eve we went out to Tom and Mary's for the Farwell Christmas. Jackson was ready to open presents as soon as we got there but decided it was okay to wait on Ashlyn. Jackson and Ellie had a great time with their presents and we all got some wonderful gifts. Mary made a delicious dinner and we just got to sit around and relax for awhile. Then we headed into their Christmas Eve service.

After church we had our down time. I tried to stay on top of finding a place for the new toys and getting stuff ready for later that night and the next morning. Jackson and Ellie helped set out Santa's cookies and milk and some reindeer food.Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for Midnight Mass. Jackson insisted that Grover be in the family pictures as he is his brother.

So we headed to Edina for Midnight Mass and this was the first time I had seen the church since the repainted and it looked really good. Briley was the first to fall asleep and she started snoring. Next up was Jackson and he snored a little too. Ellie was really holding out and didn't fall asleep until the last 10 minutes. Mr. Lincoln stayed up the whole time. He tried to fall asleep a few times but never could. He just looked around and smiled at everyone. We made it home around two and were done with all of our stuff by 2:30.

Morning came earlier than it has in the past. I turned on a monitor upstairs and told Jackson to just talk into it when he got up in the morning. We put up wrapping paper on the stairs so they can't come down until we are ready. At 7am I hear, "Mom. Mom! Get up. It is Christmas! Santa came!" He kept yelling into it until I came out and told him I was awake. Ellie was a little harder to wake up and was sitting on the floor in her room crying when we told them they could come downstairs. She eventually warmed up. It took them both a little while to warm up. Ellie was just tired and Jackson was thinking some of the stuff he got wasn't the exact right thing. But in the end, they had a good time.

After we finished our presents we headed over to my parents to open presents there. The kids loved all of their gifts. My parents big gift to all of us were gift certificates and the offer to buy our plane tickets for all us to go to Disney World in the next couple of years. We just need to all get together and start planning when we want to go. It was very exciting and we are going to have a hard time

After some naps at home by everyone else but me (again trying to organize stuff) we went back to my parents for dinner and the family gift exchange. The food was great and so was the gift exchange. Jackson got a Transformer and Ellie got an EasyBake and an apron set. She was sooo excited (thank you very much Sara :)). Today Andrew took the kids sledding for a little bit out at the ranch and then we all headed out to Tom's for Christmas with my Dad's family. The kids had a great time playing with their cousins and it was nice to see everyone again. Many of them had never met Lincoln so they were excited to get to see him and hold him. We had a great Christmas and are so blessed with all that God has done for us. He even gave us a beautiful white Christmas.

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10-11