Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.

One of the things we try to do is break up the opening of Christmas presents so that the boys appreciate their gifts a little bit more. So on Christmas Eve, we opened the gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Daniels. The boys were pretty excited about all of the gifts. And it was fun to have some new toys to play with the day before Christmas. We also opened up new pajamas and tracked Santa for awhile before we headed to bed.

Seth was super excited for these cars, but he especially loved the pirate ship grandma got for him.

Dax is WAY into Star Wars right now so this was a great gift.

Mark got a set of these last year and was excited for set #2 this year!

Just checking on Santa before bedtime.

Christmas morning began with 10 inches of snow when we woke up. We had already had a little bit of snow a few days earlier, but then we got a really great dump of snow on Christmas Eve. The boys were so excited and after we opened some presents, we spent time shoveling and playing in the snow.

Christmas morning snow!! 

We loved the hat on our light post!

It was a lot of snow to shovel!!

Dax just rolls in the snow and eats it all day long!

Dad piled this huge mound of snow for the boys to make a fort.

Mark worked really hard on the fort.

Seth was a tiger hiding in the snow cave.

The boys were pleased with all of their gifts. Santa was able to bring most of their wishes. After we looked through stockings and Santa gifts, we had breakfast before opening the other gifts under the tree.

Seth really wanted these Rescuebots. 

Dax wanted a new race track. 

Mark asked for batting gloves. He got those, plus a new bat!

The racetrack has been popular with everyone in our house!

Dax has the true spirit of Christmas in his heart. Every year he makes gifts for us. He is so thoughtful and makes sure everyone has equal number of presents. Dax made Mark a baseball bat out of a paper towel roll and baseballs out of paper and tape. For Seth he made a hiking stick out of a wrapping paper tube and a coloring book with the numbers. He made his Mom and Dad nice cards and books, and a cute snowman ornament. Most of the presents, I am involved in making, but he surprised me when Mark opened a parachute man created out of a grocery sack and a cardboard man. Dax created that all on his own. This is my favorite part of Christmas--Dax Christmas.

Dax with all the gifts he wrapped for us.

This is Mark's bat and baseballs that Dax made for him.

Seth using his hiking stick.

I loved this coloring book. Dax made all the bubble numbers. 

This was such a fun gift. Dax is so creative!

Later, Grandpa Ockey came over and we opened the gifts from Grandpa. It's fun to have Grandpa come over, and he had come for clam chowder on Christmas Eve as well. The boys love him! He stayed and played a game of Baloney with us before he headed over to Amy's house.

We love Grandpa Ockey!

For dinner we had a delicious ham and all the fixings! We have fun getting out the china and the fancy tablecloth for Christmas: our once a year time. I think I might pull it out for New Year's this year as well just so it can have a little more use.

Fancy Christmas dinner is one of my favorite parts!

Seth gave me this cup for Christmas. Randy told me that in the store, he saw it and said,"I want to give Mom this trophy for Christmas for being the best mom!" So Randy let him buy it and they wrote Best Mom on the cup. I will always treasure it!

Randy loved his ping pong set.

These three boys are what make it all worthwhile. They are the best and I'm so glad they are mine!