Christmas

Christmas Day itself was everything it should have been.
All the kids were up an hour earlier than Joseph and I were willing to get everything started.
Caleb and Elinor drifted back to sleep, but Emily sang in her bed the whole time, waiting patiently. We finally went in and let Emily open her stocking which woke the other two mobile kids. Stockings provided enough excitement for the early morning hours while Joseph and I (mostly Joseph) prepared a breakfast of crepes and fruit.
After breakfast the real excitement began.

Emily of course loves all things girly.

Our wackiest kid got a pretty wacky little instrument. It's been a hit with all of them.

This is one of Caleb's favorite games to play.
He loves to dress up as a "workerman"
(like the guys behind him)...

So this toolbox was perfect for him.

Baby Jacob got a few little gifts. We'll probably wrap them up again for his first birthday.

Elinor immediately took possession of this
cool little sea serpent pull toy.
We have since reclaimed it.

A picture of our Christmas chaos.

Yet more Christmas chaos.

Joseph gifted me a (much appreciated) Christmas nap.
This is how the kids stayed occupied while I was out:

Em put together a mini stage and puppet show.

Caleb staged a peanutbutter battle.

And also masqueraded as an angry knight. The sword was the present Emily chose for him this year. She also made him the shield out of thick cardboard and duct tape for handles. I traced and cut the shape under her close supervision. The CTR shield shape was all I knew so we went with it. Em drew the dragon upside-down, but none of the kids have noticed yet. Caleb just always holds the shield upside-down and fights left handed.

After I woke up and rejoined the family, the kids spent some time riding bikes with their new helmets and bells.
Joseph made our traditional Christmas nacho platter for a fun picnic dinner in the living room while we watched Brave. It was sort of Caleb's dream come true.

Our real Christmas dinner came a couple of nights later when we met up with the SA Coopers.

It was such a fun, laid back Christmas. I love my husband and all of these little kiddos.