the paquettes

Admittedly this is A LOT of presents…but it is for 12 people! (And I get stressed getting Christmas ready for my four at home…)

Rilyn and Ella in front of grandma’s tree

Ella’s favorite present!

Asher’s favorite present-a car table!

our traditional Christmas dinner picture!

This Christmas, I think my favorite thing to watch was Asher with his cousin, Caden (15 months apart). These two were hilarious together, making each other crack up every chance they got.

best buds

trying to escape

I love this picture of Asher and Caden below. Asher stealing his new toy away from Caden as Caden makes an attempt to grab it back. We are pretty sure Caden will be bigger than Asher one day, so Asher better watch out…

This is mine!

Christmas Eve

Christmas morning and Rilyn woke up on the bossy side of the bed! She wanted to make sure she was first walking down the hallway! I have no clue who she gets that from! 😉

Me first guys!

I love the difference in Ella and Asher’s expressions as they see the tree with the presents and Jesus birthday decorations up.

What’s a birthday without party horns?

Asher loved the cake!

After birthday cake for Jesus for breakfast, we went through our stockings!

a present for me?!?

Both the girls wanted sleeping masks this year-what divas!  Ella was pretending to be a panda here.

Rilyn wanted a spin art thing this year so she was pretty excited when she got it!

We got Asher this 2 wheel bike that is supposed to help him balance (Lord knows he needs that!) but it was an inch too tall, so I think we will bring it out again for his birthday this spring. He won’t remember he got it for Christmas! 😉

Leapster Explorers were the girls ‘want’ present this year.

I had a wonderful Christmas and I received thoughtful gifts such as a photography class and a photography magazine subscription from James! I got a new lens from my parents and a cute camera strap too! I, unfortunately, spent all of my creative energy on the Jesse tree this year, (making 25 ornaments is hard work!) so all I got James was clothes. Very boring, but I had good intentions. Maybe Valentine’s Day?!?

I wish that sweet line in my post title was said by one of my children at the mall when seeing the line for Santa, but nope! I stole it from a somewhat cheesy song (but the message is good!).  I’ve explained before that we don’t celebrate Santa at our house.  I found a great blog post from Noel Piper, (John Piper’s wife) about why they don’t do Santa either, and she writes way better than me, so check it out!

Even though we don’t believe in Santa at our house, I don’t try to hide Santa from them!  After all, fairy tales are fun to read and imagine!  So, off we went to take our annual Santa picture.  My two girls were prepped NOT to say “You aren’t real” or anything of that nature around other kids in line.  When it was their turn to take a picture, they stood right next to Santa, said not a word, smiled and then they walked away.  The guy next in line asked me, “Don’t your kids want to tell Santa what they want for Christmas?”  I just smiled.  I guess my kids had better things to do then talk to some guy they don’t know about something he doesn’t care about!  (I didn’t say that of course!)

No crying this year!  But Asher looks a little confused…

I think I like this guy!

This is the third year we have made ‘the journey to Bethlehem’.  The girls look forward to it each year and Rilyn said it is our ‘tradition’ now.  This year, we stayed close and went to a local church.  (Last year we went to Burnet.)
Ella said afterward, ”I closed my ears when King Herod was talking because he is a bad king!”  Asher loved all the animals there. Rilyn hung on every word that was said during the ‘journey’ and said, “I had SO MUCH FUN tonight!”
I didn’t get ‘the shot’ tonight which was the girls kneeling in front of the nativity scene, but I have a good excuse.  They used a real baby for Jesus, and I didn’t want to bother the baby with my bright flash who was being rocked gently to sleep.

Listening to King Herod

Our ‘guide’ asking the inn keeper where Mary and Joseph were staying

one of the shepherd boys

This donkey is only 4 months old!

I think the goat liked Asher too!

On a whim, (hence the play clothes they have on), I decided to take the kids’ pictures in front of our house tonight.  (Yes, they are wearing flip flops and shorts and it is almost December.  And tomorrow it will be freezing, go figure Texas weather.)  In order to get these shots, the kids had to hold very still because I didn’t want to use the flash.  I can’t wait to see more houses with Christmas lights up, so get yours up!  By the way, I received our first Christmas card today! 🙂

Asher is in love with our lights!

Yesterday we decorated my parents tree for Christmas!  I’m so excited that the Christmas season is finally here!  Every year it gets more fun with the kids getting older!

Ella’s turn to put the star on their tree!

The girls decorating

Asher

We decorated our house today, but I didn’t take any pictures.  I will, however, get a shot of our front yard soon because James did a great job of lighting it up!  We have the music box lights so they blink according to the rhythm of the Christmas music being played.  Asher wanted to stay outside all night when James showed him.  It was so fun to see the kids faces as they danced around the yard-like a musical Christmas wonderland!