Santa Came!!!

We spent Christmas Eve at home. We rented the movie "The Polar Express" and watched it on the iPad. Yup, all four of us watching that tiny screen. It reminded Wander of crowding around a tiny tv as a child. (Side note, why are so many family Christmas movies about believing in Santa with little to no mention of believing in Jesus?)

After the movie we made cookies for Santa (and us). Baking cookies went much faster this year as I had two helpers. We do sugar cookies with the cookie press. Sparkle could take the cookie sheets in and out of the oven. Glitter could take the bowl of dough in and out of the fridge to keep it cold. And of course both of them wanted to operate the cookie press.

I bought a flash for my iPad camera and it was supposed to arrive last Friday, but it has not arrived. So my indoor pictures are still blurry. At least I have pictures. I hope my kids will be sympathetic when they are older and wonder why I don't have good pictures of them.

We had a group nap on the living room floor before going to midnight mass. No pictures because watching the movie drained the iPad battery and it was charging. The girls looked beautiful in their Christmas dresses. Sparkle did her and Glitter's hair.

As we were leaving mass, one of the deacons asked Glitter if she knew whose birthday it was. "Of course," she answered. "Whose?" he pressed. "Jesus" she answered in a puzzled tone, as if she were wondering why he would ask such a silly question. She does not know that many little children do not know that Christmas is Jesus's birthday.

When we got home, Glitter was disappointed that Santa had not yet come. Yet the girls did not want to hurry to bed. I finally got them tucked in a little after two am.

Finally I got to go to sleep. A moment later, I was woken by screaming kids. "He came! He came! Santa came!" Then Wander informed me that the girls were waiting for me before opening presents. so I had to drag myself out of bed and stumble down the stairs.

The girls waiting not so patiently. They had already pulled all the presents out from inder the tree and out of stockings.

The opening frenzy begins. Ah, the sound of ripping wrapping paper.

Sparkle got some books, an angel nutcracker, jewlery making supplies, and more.

I love the looks on the girls faces as Sparkle opened this present. Glitter's jaw dropped in a perfect "O".

More ripping. Glitter had a little trouble trying to open the boxes. Thankfully she asked Wander for help instead of ripping the box. Glitter got a toy dragon, a glass rose paperweight, a gift card to the craft store, and more.

Wander got a new iPod Touch. The girls were so excited to get it for him.

A gift for the whole family was real gold, frankinsence, and myrh in decorative boxes for our nativity scene.

I love how the girls are always excited and please on Christmas morning. Later on they will hear about kids getting cool, expensive electronics, but for now they are happy and I can go back to sleep.