Well Christmas has come and gone, and I am feeling very blessed. We couldn't be with family this year, but we have good friends that we spent Christmas eve with. We did a nativity with the kids. Mckenna was Mary for about 2 minutes and then announced that it was taking too long so she gave up her role to her friend. We are so thankful to know people here that kind of take you in and make you feel like family. Friendships are different, and stronge with people when you have no family around to rely on.

Like most parents, the excitement of Christmas morning is not in opening presents, but in watching your children s excitement. This year was no different for me. Except for on top of getting to watch my girls get so excited they might jump up to the ceiling, I was given some really nice gifts. We'll start with Jason, but there is a story that goes with his best gift.

Jason had gone out shopping alone. I knew that he had bought a few little things I had asked for, but Jason usually sticks to what I tell him when it comes to gifts for me. Opening gifts from him is so nice, but not usually much of a surprise. On his shopping trip I was sure that he had bought a play station 3--something I really don't want him to have-- but apparently he just had to have a blue ray player. Wrapped under the tree was a box about the size of a PS3. When I looked closer at it I was a little annoyed that he had gone to so much trouble to wrap something for himself and then he even put "to: Celeste, Love Jason." I figured he was joking around. The next night we went to a little Christmas party for Jason's work. Jason was working, but me and the girls went. A bunch of guys were talking about what they were going to get their wives for Christmas. I told them just get yourself a play station, wrap it and put HER name on it. They were laughing pretty hard about it and even harder when I told them Jase really did that.
Jason took a bunch of crap at work from the guys.. and i don't know if anyone believed him (including me) when he said that it wasn't really a play station under the tree.
I opened it Christmas morning I was very surprised. Jason had wrapped a shoe box with old shoes in it (to give it weight) and under the shoes was a beautiful diamond necklace. Jason also got me a new laptop.

The girls had so much fun opening their presents. Kayla would open something look at it with utter joy and wonderment and then throw it aside and ask for another one to open. Mckenna really couldn't contain herself. It was so fun to watch them. One of the things we got them was a sled. Snow and anything to do with snow is so new to her. Kayla's gift to mommy this year may have topped everything now and from previous Christmas's. She decided on Christmas that she wanted to wear panties and use the potty. She has had some accidents, but I think after this week she will be diaperless. Who could ask for more?

I missed my family, but we still had a Merry Christmas.