Christmas Evening

Lauren with her sock monkey.

Sammie and Lauren peeking and sorting.

One of her favorite presents.

Time for bed, Christmas is over for 2011. It was a wonderful Christmas.

Lauren and I went over to Don and Janine's home for dinner and to open a few more gifts. The evening started with a fun gift exchange. The rules for this gift exchange was that you had to make the item. Lauren (with my help) made a beautiful wreath. I made a fun Christmas decoration. Lauren loved the wreath so much we exchanged it so I would get it back. Lauren got a great sock monkey that her Aunt Janine made. It was fun to see what everyone came up with and how creative we could be.

We then had a short devotional and then enjoyed a great dinner and opened a last of the gifts. Lauren was so excited to get a karaoke machine and a Fur Real Dog.

Lauren got me a wonderful charm for my bracelet. She picked it out and I just love it.

It was a wonderful 2011 Christmas.

Christmas Morning

Santa filled Lauren's stocking

He left a lot of presents including two bikes.

Christmas morning came very early. Lauren came into my room at about 2:30 am to let me know that Santa had been there and signed the note. She brought it with her to show me. She was so happy. She also let me know that there was 2 bikes there. She was one very excited girl. I did get her to fall back to sleep and not wake up until about 7:30. She opened her stocking while she waited for her cousins to come over for breakfast and to open all the Santa gifts. It was a fun morning. Lauren loved her new bike. It was just what she asked Santa to bring her.

After breakfast Lauren and I relaxed for a few hours before going to Janine and Don's home for Christmas dinner and a few more gifts.

Cookies for Santa

When we got home from Brian and Diane's home, Lauren put out the cookies, apples and milk for Santa and his reindeer. Lauren also included a note asking for Santa to sign his name and put the name of one of his reindeer. This year Lauren started to think that maybe I was Santa so she decided that best way to figure this out was to have Santa sign the note and then compare our signatures. She found out that it was not me that signed the note so Santa must be real!! My little girl is growing up.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was spent at Brian and Diane's home. We went to church and then had a wonderful evening including dinner and opening gifts. Lauren was happy to get her new Ipad.

Breakfast with Santa

This morning Lauren and I went to the Pointe for Breakfast with Santa. We have gone to this event a few years ago and I thought they did a great job. I love that Santa comes to each of the tables while we are eating to say a few words. The kids then get to listen to stories by Mrs. Claus and decorate cookies. Last is the visit with Santa. He really spends a lot of time with each of them. I love that he tells them a secret. Lauren won't even tell me the secret. It was a fun morning.