Christmas Morning!

Christmas Eve was an especially exciting evening. Not only were the kids excited to wake up and open gifts the next morning, but we would be leaving for CT right after to visit family.
That also meant that Christmas Eve was a night of packing and cleaning so we could go as soon as our Christmas morning was finished.
That is not to say we rushed Christmas, we enjoyed every moment!
Since we wouldn't be here for our traditional (since moving to Georgia) Christmas dinner of brats over the fire, we had brats and s'mores for our Christmas Eve dinner.
The kids set out cookies and milk and spiced apple cider for Santa and went up stair for a movie and a sleep over.

Christmas morning the kids were up early (what child isn't), Natalie being to first up - she is usually the last one out of bed on any other morning, and checking out their stocking.The deal Robert and I have made with Santa (because all parents make their own deals with Santa) is that he fills the stockings and brings one gift for under the tree.
This year Santa brought the kids NEW stockings! Gone are the dollar store stockings I got years ago.

Here is Jake checking out what was in his stocking.

Once everyone was up we had breakfast and then went back to opening gifts.
The kids had a great time opening up their presents.Logan had asked Santa for a little Clifford (I did have to convince him that Clifford wasn't a real dog, only one from a story) and was so happy to find it under the tree! Logan was so excited about Christmas this year and asked for a few dollars to take to the school's "Santa Shop" to get gifts for the family. When I told him it was for the others in the family and not for him, Jake asked for a couple dollars to get Logan a gift. Natalie made and gathered gifts for everyone. It was sweet to see them wanting to give to each other.
I even surprised Robert with a gift. I spilled the beans that I had gotten him something, but at least he didn't figure out what it was (he usually does).
Robert and I got the boys Glow Crazy stuff.

Alyssa had been walking around the house wrapped up in a piece of fleece (we keep the house a bit too cold for her liking) - getting a UGA snuggie from Santa was perfect.

Some gifts came with us, but most stayed to be enjoyed when we got back.
After cleaning up a bit and final preparations for our trip, Christmas morning was over and we were off!
It was a great Christmas morning.