Best Christmas Ever!!

Our Christmas was everything we imagined and more!  The only bad thing is that I was still getting over being sick.  I was not feeling very well.  But I did not let that stop me from enjoying the day.

The gifts are all wrapped and ready to open.  We were SO excited for Christmas morning to arrive.  My husband and I had been planning this special morning since August.  We knew we would have limited funds for presents.  So early planning was key.  We found a great deal on something we knew the kids would love.  So we put them on lay-a-way.  This is the best way to stay within your budget.  We paid a little each week. 

Hannah's stocking filled with delightful goodies.

Katrina's stocking filled with delightful goodies. 

Andrew's stocking filled with many goodies! 

My honey's stocking with many of his favorites. 

This is the same stocking I've used for the last 41 Christmas mornings.  As you can see it's a little tattered.  I'm thinking of putting some patches on the holes.  Maybe putting the glittery stars back on again.  I believe my grandmother made this for me.  I cherish it.

Now onto opening the gifts.  One thing that has become a tradition here is my husband passing out one gift to each child.  Then he says ready, set, (with a pause) STOP.  The kids really look forward to this every year.  When it came to me opening my gifts I forgot to stop.  I just ripped into them.  Hahaha. 

No matter how old you are, when Christmas morning comes you are suddenly transported back to childhood.  I know I am.

The joy on their faces melt all of our troubles from this past year away.  I am going to cherish these moments!

This game is VERY stressful but fun at the same time.  The center is a balloon.  You put the sticks with notches into the holes.  You roll the dice and the number you get is the number of notches you push in.  You kind of close your eyes with each push of the stick.  Hahaha.

Now for the surprise gifts.  This is the first year we have bought a gift for our kids they did not ask for!  Better yet we knew they would love!!

They all opened them with shock on their faces.  It was the best!!

Here are all my goodies.  From my daughter I got the Christy series.  Which I spent most of yesterday watching.  My wonderful hubby got me the Love Comes Softly Christmas movie, the flannel nightgown, coffee mug and ribbon candy. 

I never got a picture of my hubby opening his gifts.  We got him a nice electric razor, the Dr. David Jeremiah study bible, coffee mug and peppermints.  We had such a special day.  One I want to bottle up and keep with me forever.

When I was a kid my great-grandmother always had ribbon candy in a bowl.  It is something I love to have.  Remember what I said about Christmas transporting you back to being a kid?  One bite of this candy does that to me.  I plan on hitting the stores later today to grab any that are left.  I'm going to become a ribbon candy hoarder!!

The rest of the day was spent much like this...

So how was your Christmas??  Any big plans for New Years?  We are inviting another couple over on New Years Eve.  We are going to spend the evening eating, fellowshipping and welcoming in 2014 in prayer.