Christmas 2016 (Part 1)

Time is funny. Certain things feel like they just happened yesterday, even if it has been years...while other memories feel years old, even if they were only made, oh, about six weeks ago. Christmas 2016 definitely falls in that latter category! It has taken me way longer than I had hoped to close out 2016 on the blog, but I'm happy (and relieved) to say that these two Christmas posts will do it! So now, without further ado...

The girls cooking breakfast for themselves on Christmas Eve Morning :)

Avalon doing some impromptu Christmas Eve crafting

Posing in front of the completed Advent calendar

True to tradition, Santa's elves paid another visit to our house on Christmas Eve, leaving the girls each a set of Shopkins...

...and for Eddie, a Leap Frog magnetic numbers set

A pic of our tree and the spread the girls assembled for Santa and his reindeer

Avalon left this self portrait next to Santa's cookies...

...with this precious note written on the back. <3

("Merry Christmas Santa! You work very hard. This is your present.")

I snuck out into the living room after Santa came and went to get this pic! Santa's main elf must have been up really late assembling all that loot! (Though I have it from a good source that most of Barbie's Dream House was put together earlier in the week back at the office--er--workshop.) ;)

Probably my favorite present-opening photo from Christmas morning :)

The girls loved watching little bro rip into his presents

Thank you, Oma Kathy and Opa Bill!

Thank you, Grama Judy and Grampa Aaron!

Thank you, Grandpa Steve and Grandma Cindy!

Taking a break from the hard work of opening presents!

Our 2016 "Glorious Mess" photo :)

Breakfast time!

Once tummies were full, it was time to test out some of those new toys!

Eddie making sure the Dream House is up to snuff! :)

After a couple hours of playing, it was time to tidy the glorious mess of Christmas morning, get dressed, and hit the road for Christmas Part Two at Nana and Papa's house in Placerville!