Sunday, December 25, 2011

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin


PEOPLE!  Best Christmas morning ever!  That's what Johanna just announced, and honestly, she's totally right.

The girls rolled out of bed around 7 a.m., which is a Christmas miracle, if you want to know the truth.  We've had some e.a.r.l.y. mornings in the past.  (Looking at you, Abby.)  The girls closed our door so they wouldn't wake us up, except we were already awake and just listening for their reactions.

We got some good reactions.

Abby is an artist (gets that from Eric, by the way--even my stick figures are messed up), and she's into drawing Japanese anime.  So Santa found her a couple of books, one on drawing bodies and another on drawing clothing et al.  (Santa read the comment section on Amazon and found these two got high marks.) She got special paper, pencils, erasers and shading tools in her stocking.  (Santa had help with that one, not being an artist himself.)

"Santa knows me better than I know myself, because I didn't even know I wanted this," said Abby, who was totally surprised.  (HA!  Gotcha!  Although.  That pretty much was the only present she didn't see coming, as she picked out everything else.)

Johanna got the Monster High doll she'd been hoping for, and art supplies in her stocking as well--real watercolors, paintbrushes, a tray and some special paper.  Santa brought these things for Abby last year, but couldn't remember exactly what brushes he bought.  Santa was hoping she wouldn't notice, but Santa is always optimistic about all the wrong things.  Johanna quickly pointed out that her brushes are different.  (Oops.)  But, she said, that's okay.  (Whew.)

(And yes, she's noticed that everything was made in China.  She hasn't asked why, so I haven't had to tell her that with 7 billion people in the world, Santa needs some help.)

They also got oranges and a chocolate bar.  Because that's just tradition.

Then, being excited, I had the girls open up the rest of their presents--I'd let them open one on the 22nd (harmonica for Jo, jeans for Abby), and since they get exactly three plus whatever Santa brings, that left two apiece.  (Just in case the math is beyond you this morning I thought I would help.  You're welcome.)  Johanna got some wooden blocks that she'd had her eye on and an art box full of various supplies.  She loved both.  Abby got the books I ordered from the bookstore way back when and $15 so she can buy her own new iPod case, as I could not for the life of me find the one she'd asked for.

Johanna built a tower of blocks, Abby flipped through her new anime books, I made pancakes.  Eric was on camera duty and was taking it to the extreme.  (Have you heard my husband giggle?  Best sound ever.)

My mother-in-law (hi Joni!) stopped by around 8 a.m. and dropped off homemade cinnamon rolls.  Uh, that was awesome.  Eric had to try one out, declared they were inedible and that he would "take care of them" himself.  (Yeah, not buying it.)

Last night at my parents'--and that's another post for another day--the girls got Just Dance 3 for the wii from my in-laws.  After breakfast, they popped that thing in, and... wow.  Hilarious.  And tricky!  Eric did the first dance with the girls, and I was all like, that doesn't look too hard, I'll try next.  So I did.  It did nothing for my self-esteem.  And talk about a workout.  So I sat the rest of them out.  I can't even believe how long the girls lasted--or Eric.

And now: It's 9:48 a.m. and everyone has settled down with their various art supplies.  Abby has a page open in one of her anime books and is drawing a figure, and Johanna has painted, cut out some construction paper shapes with her new scissors, and made a few chalk drawings.  Just checked to see what she's up to at the moment, and she's playing with Ghoulia.  P.S. Eric just joined in on all that art going on in the living room.  Apparently they're all going to start drawing people now.  My heart is almost too full.

I'll do more of a Christmas recap later.  It's Christmas morning!  I got places to be with the fam.  But I did not want to forget THIS.

I love these sorts of mornings.

Weezer, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."  I'm pretty sure I don't have to explain this one.

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