Christmas at our house

We were blessed to have Christmas here at our house this year. It was particularly special to have John's mom here. She has never been away from her little town in New Mexico for Christmas in her WHOLE LIFE until this year. It was a little bittersweet, as Papaw wasn't here to celebrate with us.

The plan was to open most of the presents Christmas Eve. Everybody gathered around Ava, who was sitting in her little chair pulled up to the ottoman, giving her full attention as it was her first Christmas ever. I had the camera rolling and everyone watching as she opened her very first Christmas present. We set the first present in front of her and she turned her nose and pushed the present away. The kids tried to help her and she got mad, kicked the ottoman, pushed herself over backwards and hit the back of her head, turning pale and screaming hysterically until I was able to console her. Meanwhile I was running back and forth helping Liesel who was in bed with the stomach flu, holding the bucket and pulling hair back for her. Liesel didn't want to spoil everyone else's Christmas and she insisted everyone open presents without her. Sweetheart. These things never quite turn out the way you expect them to.

Needless to say, there was still plenty of time the next morning for presents, so we tried again. I searched high and low for a toy involving two of Ava's favorite items......

A Banana.........



















And a yellow school bus.......










Everyone is feeling fine now, the kids are all playing with their cousins, no concussions, and apparently nobody else got the flu. It was a great Christmas.