Sunday December 25

We had a pretty fantastic Christmas together as a family today.

The kids didn't get up too early....

Well, Port was up early at 5:30 or so.

He has been doing that lately and I hear him running around our room in the dark and playing with toys in his room.

He brought his little nail gun to me to ask if I could put the battery back in.

Little stinker.

Finally the girls woke up and we all headed upstairs to see if Santa showed up.

They got to open two gifts last night....that is where Port got the nail gun.

It was form Aunt Emmy.

It is a big hit.....it is just like daddy's!

They opened their presents from Grandma Ene....which just happened to be some great jammies to sleep in.

They were very excited about that.

Elsie's gift came with a cute little doll with matching jammies.

She was named Holly immediately.

A before and after of our Christmas morning.

They were all very happy with the things they received.

Port would not let go of that staple gun for the longest time!

He was very excited to see his barn that he asked for.....along with lots of tractors.

Elsie went nuts when she say her pink buffalo for the first time!

She named her Pinky Pie and she hasn't left her side since :)

That makes me happy that Santa found a way to make her pink!

It was worth every bit of trouble!!!!!

The night before....I asked Madi what she wanted for Christmas.

She said she only wanted one thing.

The same thing she has asked for for over 3 years.

A real nice telescope.

I told her that those were expensive (good ones are!), and we would just have to keep a look out for one that was a really good deal.

She agreed, but was a little sad too.....ha ha!

Little did she know that she would wake up to a pretty fantastic telescope!

Santa found an A.M.A.Z.I.N.G deal on craigslist for this one.

I still can't believe the find......

This girl is beyond happy about it.

It is a real one.

Not a toy.

She was also VERY excited when she spotted a Nook sitting next to the telescope.

She was a very happy girl.

And she deserves all of it....she has been pretty fantastic lately!

I have high hopes for the teenage years.

(I would not have said that a year ago!)

I have a lot of shots of Elsie.....

She is so much fun to watch.

She is just filled with excitement and it is hard not to smile along with her.

Cassi's one thing she asked for was a microphone.

She got that....but it also came with a Karaoke machine....which Santa also found a great deal on.

It works great and she has been singing all day long.

I know I am her mom....but that girl has got a great voice.

I would love to get her into singing lessons or something.

I was thinking she would just love to be in the ward choir.

I wonder if there is an age limit, and if I would have to join her.....cause I don't sing!

More love for Pinky Pie.

You can even see the excitement in Elsie's toes :)

She is very proud of her cute little rain boots.

Easy to slip on and off.

Port has some black ones, and they are so handy to slip on and off.

I knew Elsie would love these ones....and I found them for only a couple bucks!

Aunt Emmy sent this sweet little buffalo to Elsie....his name is Brownie.

And Pinky pie is his mommy :)

Emmy also sent this sweet little book about Buffalo's.

You can tell how pleased she is with this book.

She has been reading it all day long.

It is called Grandfather Buffalo.

It is a very sweet story and makes me love Buffalo's as much as Elsie does :)

Our surprise for the kids was re-doing the playroom/art room.

Madi knew something was up.

I told her the room was locked cause that is where I was wrapping the presents......but she kinda figured that there was more going on in there.

We made the playroom/art room into a more functional room.....and adding a computer space in the closet.

I think it is gonna be pretty great for the kids and they are very excited about it too.

And it has a school size chalkboard in it (an auction item :)

Still needs a paint job and curtains and the table needs to be sanded and painted.....

But it works for now.

(That is my motto lately!)

We got ready in our new Sunday dresses and headed to church.

It was a nice day filled with beautiful music.

I think it is so great to have Christmas on a Sunday.

After church, it was back to hanging out and playing with toys.

(And naps!)

Elsie loves this buffalo.

Here she is, whispering sweet secrets into Pinky Pies ear.

Cassi really enjoyed rocking out to her music.

It came with some great CDs.

And there were lots of Christmas music on there to sing.

So she serenaded us all day long.

It also has a port that she can hook up her mp3 player too and sing the songs she has on there.

She looks like a great little performer, doesn't she?

Madi read an entire book today on her Nook.

She is loving it.

It also holds her music and pictures.

Isn't this pretty?

Yes, it needs a little bit of a makeover....and it will.

But this is what Brent got me for Christmas.

I found it on Craigslist and told him about it and he said.....'Why do you want a record player' and kind of talked me out of it.

But I secretly REALLY wanted it.

Well, he conspired behind my back and bought it from the lady I had been talking with.

I am so excited about it.

I don't have any records yet, but i am excited to try it out.

I turned on the radio, and it was playing Alabama's Christmas in Dixie song.

That is the exact song that makes me want a record player so bad.

I have such great Christmas memories of laying on my Moms and Dads bed listening to the Alabama Christmas album on the record player.

I just love the sound it makes and I can't wait to start a record collection.

Porter asked for a barn last minute.....

So Santa hired daddy to throw this together, and I think it turned out so darn cute!

It will go well with all his little tractors!

Elsie really loves this book...

And so does little Brownie :)

Dad got this fun 'Angry Birds' game for the kids.

It was a big hit with Porter.

Elsie asked for a dollhouse.

We already had a dollhouse, so we told Santa we would take over that project and re-do the one we had.

And added these cute little dolls to go in the house.

So, I said Port got some little tractors....but....

He also got this pretty amazing little thing that Daddy whipped together.

It matches Dads Massey perfectly.

My boys will look so great working along side each other!

We bought this little digger that sits on a seat in a sandbox off of craigslist for $10.

It was pretty cute, just needed some paint.

As dad had it apart painting it....and thought came to him to use part of Ports little trike and transform it into a tractor!

It worked out so perfectly!

Can't forget the fenders.

Dad has been hanging onto an old broken snow shovel for a long time.

As he was looking at it......he thought it would make the perfect fenders for the mini-massey!

He was right.

I just think it is the cutest thing.

Plus it actually works, so that is even better!

Late at night....Dad and Madi went outside to try out the telescope.

The moon was barely even there....but they found some pretty great stars.

It is gonna be a fun thing for Madi.....and daddy too :)