{christmas eve}

We spent Christmas eve at Grandma & Grandpa Simpkins. The Cartwrights and the Grahams were there too! We all had such a great time! Christmas Eve truly is one of the most wonderful nights of the year!

James got a fun Toy Story race car track
from grandma & grandpa
And Wyatt got a really cool RC car!

Jenna sure liked her new Olivia doll & book we got her!

Gary thoroughly enjoyed my cinnamon rolls! I think he ate 3!

Dinner is gone, dessert pan is empty, presents are opened...now pack it up at take us home,
Santa is coming!

{checkin out the tree}

The boys putting the last ornament or two on the tree.

{holiday guy time}

I just love having a house full of boys! The truly sweet moments are the times when you get to witness those rough and rowdy boys settle down and share quiet family bonding moments such as....the annual watching of

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
with mint Oreos!

(sorry for the crummy photos...couldn't find my glasses!)

{decorating}

I've been so busy with the holidays I haven't had time to post much so I'm catching up today.

This year we decided to start the tradition of a new Hallmark ornament every year. Tyler and I went out and picked one for each of the boys and brought them home as a surprise for the day we decorated the tree! James got a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ornaments and Wyatt got a really cool airplane ornament. He is really excited to keep collecting the airplane series! James wasn't as good as Wyatt in keeping his eyes closed and holding his hands out for the surprise but he was super excited at what he saw!

So excited that before we could even help him open the box he was giving it kisses.
Once we managed to get it out of the box he walked around giving his ornament lovies (hugs)
The boys had fun picking the perfect place on the bare tree to hang their new ornaments
James had a hard time accepting the fact that once it was on the tree it stayed on the tree...

{a sad little boy}

It was Christmas clean up in our house this morning. We had put away all the decorations right after Christmas but the tree and ornaments stayed up for New Years Eve so today we started packing up. James was so excited that he was actually allowed to touch the ornaments now. He was a very good helper putting them on the table for mommy to box up and what a great job he did tangling up all the lights as his big brother pulled them off the tree! All was well in the Simpkins home with such wonderful happy helpers until....

He was not a happy helper as soon as he realized what was really going on. Poor guy!! It broke my heart! I'm now off to find a little 1 foot table top tree on a clearance rack some where for him to play with. Wish me luck!