Naughty or Nice?

There is never a dull moment at our house and Christmas 2009 was no exception to that rule...

Christmas morning arrived and with it a little girl who refused to get out of bed. Katie proudly announced that Santa would be here when it started to snow. She would not get out of bed until it was snowing. Her big brother, Bobby, quickly burst her bubble and told her quite emphatically that it does NOT snow in Arizona. (I guess next year we will have to invest in a snow machine for the backyard!)

Bobby is a sprinter. He likes to open his gifts as quickly

as he can and survey the scene when he is done. After he has finished the race, he graciously offers to assist the others with their presents. :)

Katie is a long distance runner. She likes to slowly open a present, make sure each piece of tape and wrapping paper are torn off, get it out of the box, play with it for a while , and then start all over again. If we let her continue at her own pace, it would take her weeks to open her presents.

Andy sat on the bench this year. He sat in the midst of torn wrapping paper and cheered his brother and sister on. Thankfully, he had his own little helpers to assist him with his gifts.

It is fun to watch each child's personality in effect on Christmas morning as they take stock of their haul. Apparently, Bobby and Katie were on the "nice" list this year.

After the present opening marathon, the real fun began. Each toy I opened was secured to the box by extreme amounts of tape, thick plastic, and never-ending twist ties. Needless to say, opening the toys took more time than the wrapping and unwrapping combined. Next year, I want Santa to bring all of the gifts to my house without any boxes, twisty ties, invisible rubber bands, and a mountain of tape. I guess I didn't realize that the theft rate for toys was so high that it requires each toy to have the same security as Fort Knox.

Christmas is a time to remember the blessings that surround us. I love to talk to my little ones about the story my grandfather read every Christmas morning. Grandpa Miller would open the family Bible and read the story about God's gift to us on this very special day. We would be surrounded by family and love as the words from the pages filled the room with the true meaning of Christmas. Grandma's homemade cinnamon rolls and hot cocoa were always on hand to keep us warm. I am thankful for all of the Christmas blessings that fill my home and heart with love and joy throughout the year. I cherish the memories that are created with my family during these special times and feel blessed beyond words to be sharing these moments with the ones I love.

As Melissa's memorial candle burned this Christmas, I am once again reminded of how precious each moment is. Every time I heard "Christmas Shoes" this holiday season, I thought about her and wished she were here with us. We all love you and miss you Auntie Missa!