MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So here's our day that went on fffoorevvveerrrr....

We had to wake up the girls... they don't quite get it yet. 8:30 am to be exact. We had family prayer, and then Merrill went downstairs to turn on the lights and get the camcorder ready. Then the girls and I came. It was so cute! As soon as they saw the "Rose Petal Cottage", Lynn said, "Dad said we couldn't have that! He said we'd wreck it!" They loved it! They opened up socks and the day went on. We only got through 3 tree gifts by the time we had to leave for Mer's parents. The drive up the driveway was much easier that time... We all got to talk to Elder Pitcher (hence the time -table)... He sounds so good! He told me about Haggis, and Blood Pudding... bleh! Thant's coming from preggie here though, don't want to bag on any one's traditions...
We got some AWESOME sheets from his mom and dad in addition to my (our) new deep freezer. The girls got some walkie talkies, which we are still trying to help them get how to use, and "Ella Enchanted", love it. Hallie and Sophie also made them homemade gifts, too cute! Did I mention that Cade says "Wo-Wo" for Merrill now?
After that, we headed straight for my mom and dad's. By this time it is 1 pm, still just 3 tree gifts opened, and I only got through 2 of mine in my sock, which Mer went all out for. My mom made homemade tee-pee's for all the kids. They loved them! We got a gift card to Macey's, to fill up my (our) deep freezer ;)...
I know that mom was sad, we left kind of early, but the kids knew there was more, and so did I! I was so excited because there were some clothing-sized boxes for ME!!! We got home and got to it...
Here's a list of the faves:
Ashley: "The sink and oven in my 'Rose Petal Cottage'."
Lynn: "My lipsticks that you got me (Victoria's Secret lipsticks, yeah, aren't I nice...) and my princess outfit."
Mindy: "My robe that Mer got me, even though he let me buy another one after he bought me this one but wouldn't tell me because he knows how much I like surprises... and the slippers that match, and the new outfit from Motherhood, and the purse..."
Mer: "It's gotta be my new camera!" Yes the one I got, the one that I want to keep, the one that I played with every day up until the day before when I finally wrapped it... He is a good sharer though...
Needless to say all was opened by about 4:30 pm, and there was still clean-up...
The girls learned a good lesson this season. They love Elf, they sing the song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" repeatedly, they really caught on to the "he sees you when you're sleeping, he knows if you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good..." get my drift.
So as they start to misbehave, Lynn always straightens up, "We better be good, Santa is watching us." I took that as a teaching opportunity and asked her who else is always watching us, someone more important than Santa.
She said, "You."
And I said, "I am, but there is someone else, even more important."
She said, "Heavenly Father."
And I told her how right she was. That was how the rest of the month went. They would sing the song, but they know that EVERY DAY, He is watching us, and seeing how we treat one another, and that's what's important.
Christmas night, at dinner, Lynn said the prayer:
"... Help us to have another Christmas this year. And bless that we can have a good Christmas next week. And bless that tomorrow will be another fun Christmas..." Wouldn't it be great to be five? They got spoiled...