Christmas Eve & Morning {In Pictures}

Note: There was a LOT of throwing of paper, jumping, etc... Maybe I should use "sport shot" next year! Haha!

Christmas Eve = Pajama day!

Puzzle fun

Time for Christmas Mass...at the witching hour of 4pm... We say it every year that we wont do that again. Yet, here we are. Haha! Maybe next Christmas we will go at a better time!

Milk and Cookies are out! Come on, Santa!!

Of course, I had to do proper North Pole packaging, according to Andrew and Alex... Did you know it is hard to find BASIC red and white stripe paper?!

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!! 6:45 AM!!!

 

While eyes wake up, Jason reads from Luke :)

The WALDO #7 BOOK!

Batman hat from Andrew to Alex

NOTE: I Get "AWESOME WIFE OF THE YEAR AWARD" for that one.... I am NOT an Alabama fan. That one is. And, I love him to death so I did it. War Eagle.

Checking out the new threads...

BATMAN SHIRTS!!

 

Austin taking it all in

This is my box. I shall claim it by sitting on top of it before ripping it open. LOL

Wondering what that "battle plan" was that Andrew asked Santa for?? Here it is! Santa, also brought that Wizard's Tower :) 

Checking out the Christmas loot

 

Showing off all the goods - Alex with his Batman Robot, Andrew got the Wizard Castle/Battle Plan, and Austin has an airport and a bunch of things to go with it. Super fun times ahead!!

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Austin loves his new BabyLit book! His Christmas Carol one is about to be put away soon...

Oh what fun!! Merry Christmas everyone!!

"This is the Polar...er...Minivan Express!"

Probably about 2 years ago now, the boys began their obsession with trains - specifically The Polar Express. And why not? I mean, what a magical ride that would be!

I saw a post last year about one mom doing her version of the Polar Express with her minivan and had kept that saved for the future.

Well, the future has arrived, people. This is the Minivan Express!! Are you comin'?

The evening started off with a mysterious ring at the door bell. When Jason opened the door, no one was there. Just a package...filled with surprises, a special note, and 5 golden tickets for a round trip ride to see the Christmas lights at Oak Mountain! How fun!!

Note: I would have take a picture of the tickets...but there were some people who were not impressed with the hole-punching. Clearly, you must be a conductor to wield a fancy-schmancy hole punch....

The boys were pretty excited about the evening's adventure! While they got their brand new super hero pajamas on, I popped the popcorn, readied the hot chocolate in their new thermoses, and grabbed extra snacks for the little man and us parents. Super fun times are ahead!

The wait wasn't too bad - thanks to the snacks and all. Plus, the boys could all see some of the lights from the line. When we did get to the box office, Jason was dying at the crazy signs... "Really? 3D glasses?! This is REAL LIFE!! What more is there to see?!" It was pretty lame that people were getting those. But maybe those were the kind that make those snowflake shapes or candy cane shapes when you look at the lights? I don't know... But, without the 3D glasses, it was still great to see!

 

 
The boys love the fishing Rudolph!

Austin sat in my lap and loved that reindeer in the sky!

Mom, I got a picture of the "3 French Hens" for you!

Lots of fun!! Not sure if it was $20 fun, but we still had a great time! We stopped by McDonald's afterwards for french fries! No popcorn dinner is complete without McDonald's french fries, you know. Darn those things...why are they so good?!

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We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!! 

(Can you believe it?! It's 2015!!)

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree! {Let's try this again...}

Ok, so... Our Christmas lights died. Ok, maybe the one light died or something (and we already changed those out), but it caused some major tree drama.

We went from an "ok-it-will-do-for-now" tree to, "Are you freakin' kidding me?!" Stupid lights...

Really? Honestly, Charlie Brown's tree looked better than that...

So, while at - wait for it - Costco, I grabbed some lights. And, since it was the week before Christmas I could pick the icicle lights or the retro lights. Well, icicles go on a house.... Retro it is! 

Awesome. It will do, I suppose.

And, WOW!!

I love our tree again! It is just so festive and happy! And, Austin LOVES it!!

Full of wonder

Best part...he can touch the lights because they don't get hot. Not even a tiny bit. And, if one decides to die, the rest don't follow like dominoes!

Yay lights!!

Speaking of lights... the other day, the boys and I learned about the Festival of Lights, aka Hanukkah, from Albert Einstein on Peg + Cat. Who better to explain 2D and 3D dreidel shapes. Thanks, Al!

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Just a note: for friends and family wondering where the Christmas cards are... They are in the works and they may be, yet again, a New Year's card. I'll share the drama that surround the taking of Christmas photos... (Oh, mom... I am sorry for the insanity I caused for many years just because you need a picture of all of us by the "damn tree" - UGH!!)

Santa Hunting {Or...Visiting Santa at Bass Pro Shop}

So ready to go see Santa!

Super excited and giggled the whole time!!

Excited and asked quite loudly for a Batman Robot

Not a fan, but tried to be brave because his brothers did it.

After seeing Santa, the boys had to try out the different things you do in a Southern Winter Wonderland - archery...er, bow hunting? Shooting rifles. And, riding bears. No? You should try it sometime. 

  

Apparently, Alex is in need of a bow? Um, no.

 

See? Super fun!

 

Always stop to catch a train!

 Tracing his letter to Santa...yes, he is asking for a Battle Plan. Haha! Best Christmas letter so far. No worries. Santa knows what he is talking about.

Tracing his letter to Santa. If you don't already know...Alex is quite the Batman fan. I'll share a story of their playing soon. Super funny!

"Hmm...what should I ask that red suit guy that has the fuzzy face to bring me...? Maybe more Cheerios. I'm running low here, Mama."

Good times at Bass Pro Shop means saying goodbye to the fish.

 Merry Christmas!!