Merry Christmas!

Guess I'd better record about our Christmas before the memory gets swallowed up in pregnancy brain and is lost forever! :)

Well, our Christmas day was wonderful! We got up around 7:30 and even made it up before Eli did. That gave us just enough time to get dressed and for me to get the camera ready before he was awake and coming down the stairs.

The funniest part of the day -- the night before we had let Eli open a couple of presents, one of which was a new Wonder Pets DVD. We told him he could watch it the next day because it was too late that night. Well, wouldn't you know it, the one thing on his mind when he came down the stairs was that movie. He wanted nothing to do with the presents all laid out on the couch or the milk and cookies that Santa had left! He was only thinking of the Wonder Pets and he only wanted to watch that movie. We couldn't persuade him to even open gifts until it was turned on in the background. Hilarious.

We had such a fun morning, our first little family Christmas in our new house. Nathan and I opened presents and Eli finally came around and opened his. Then we made breakfast and just spent some good quality time together as a family. You can see by the photo that we obviously don't do anything lavish. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

We also got some good stuff! :) I was lucky enough to get a Bind-It-All for doing my own homemade scrapbook albums, and Nathan got a season of House and a book about the history of the world. Those were big hits. Eli was not spoiled, thankfully (that came later and Grandma and PawPaw's house, lol). He got a few DVD's, a couple of Diego rescue vehicles (one of which you remember from here), a deluxe tool set and some cute new books. Overall, it was a great morning together.

Eli opening one of his books.





Very excited to read Max and Ruby with Dada.



Diego Rescue truck from cousin Nate.



His tool set, complete with small hard hat:

After we all got showered and dressed, we headed out to Nathan's parents' house and hung out with family there. Eli was thoroughly engulfed in new, fun toys and we had a good time watching him open his presents. Then we had a great turkey dinner and fun times playing Guitar Hero.

Then we had to drive through Christmas Tree Lane (which Nathan's parents live on), which was fun. We had driven it once when Nathan and I were first married, and it had changed a little from year to year. This was Eli's first time down it, and if he hadn't had been so tired, I'm sure he would have loved it even more. :)

A mini view of some of the houses, from the street. I didn't get a picture of the in-laws' house, but I got some other ones. You can just use your imagination. :)

This is a house that had done the Disney princesses as a theme. Here is my favorite Disney princess -- Beauty and the Beast.



A cute little Santa's workshop.



And one of the houses that had almost every surface covered!

It's truly amazing to see what these people who live on this street do to their houses during the holiday season. And people come from all over, thousands a night, just to drive or walk the street and see the lights. One of these years we're going to go out on the driveway and sell hot chocolate and candy canes. I'm sure we'd clean up. :)

So yeah, that was our great Christmas 2008. I'm glad that it went well, but I hate to see it go. I just love the Christmas season and now it's just a countdown to next year (or maybe the birth of our second child, whichever comes first. And lately it seems like it may be the former!).