Christmas Hallabaloo

We really just had the best Christmas ever! It was the most relaxing care free fun Christmas we have had ever I think! Having Malia home certainly helped, last year we were feeling completely lost so having her here in our arms and opening gifts and giggling was just the best gift ever!
We started out by having Christmas Eve dinner with our friends the Zims and went to finish our 12 days of Christmas by revealing ourselves. Then we went and looked at all the awesome lights in the neighborhoods and came home to let the kids open their gifts from each other (a new tradition we started last year) then we all opened our new jammies and read The Night Before Christmas. Then it was time for bed!
We had set up a clock in Maddies room and had Kaden sleep in there so he wouldnt sneak upstairs... we told them they couldnt wake us any earlier than 5:36 hehehe and set their clock 10 minutes behind! Well jokes on me cuz I woke up at 5 and couldnt go back to sleep! They came in our room right on the dot so it was time for potty breaks and brushing teeth. Maddie was just a little bit giddy! And Malia woke up on her own from hearing us I guess and was still pretty asleep.
Both the older kids were pretty excited to see that Santa had deemed them worthy of gifts this year and Maddie tore right into Malias gifts OOPS!! Then right into her own. Kadens best gift was at the very bottom of his stalking and as he unwrapped it it began to ring... yep he got a cell phone and as he stared at it we asked him if he was going to cry and he said ya and he did and then we did watching him... so funny the joy it brought him really made us so happy too! We are pretty excited to have such a valuable thing to take away from him also! He made out pretty well and got everything he put on his list, which was pretty short so Santa added a few things for him!
Maddie was ecstatic over all her new drawing things and most of all her new microphone that goes on through the radio so ALL can hear (she is convinced that anyone on that station can hear her so she was performing for you all. O YAAA (that didnt get old at all, ALL DAY)! She got a lot of lips and jewelry and did her model walk for us quite a few times showing off her shoes and earrings and bracelets. She made a haul and hopefully will keep her busy for the rest of break.
Malia was half asleep for the first 45 minutes and just plopped herself in my lap and watched the kids then all of a sudden she spoke up and stood up and went right to her gifts and decided this was kinda fun! She loves her mirror/music toy that she got and thinks it makes a great step stool too! She isnt sure if she loves her babies or not... she loves Maddies in the doll crib and will kiss them every once in awhile but then gets freaked out by them too. She of course loved the boxes and any little tie off or garbage she could find.
Rich and I had decided this year to just make it about the kids but I of course grabbed him a couple things and he grabbed me a HUGE thing. Ive been dying for a new camera cuz my not so old one has been dying and had broke on me and I got the one I had been wanting! I felt bad for receiving a great gift but was also pretty excited! Now I gotta learn how to use the dang thing.
We got the house cleaned up pretty quick and the kids spent the day playing with all their new things while we took turns playing with them and enjoying the day. It was so layed back that I even got back in my jammies after my shower!
Im grateful for all that I have, I just had to keep sitting there and giving thanks. Last night especially when Malia had fallen asleep in my arms while we were reading our story and I just couldnt get up to put her to bed... I just layed there with her on my chest and all I could think about was how sad I was last year at not having her home and feeling like we would never get our baby. Im glad we stuck it out and the Lord was patient with us while we worked on our Faith. Because having this baby home this year has been such a miracle to me the way it all ended up happening I just can hardly believe it.
I hope you all had a great Christmas like we did, Im hoping to keep this grateful Spirit around for not only me but the kids.

I had a bunch more photos loading but it was way to slow so more photos to come!