8 am… the kids are still asleep. Joshua and I get up and get dressed.
8:14 Wesley wakes up and asks us if it is morning yet.
8:15 Out looking at the tree!
Excited to see that Santa brought him the pillow pet he wanted.
8:17 Goes and wakes up Jillian
8:17 Jillian is happy but much calmer than Wesley that Santa delivered gifts.
Here is how the next 23 minutes is spent:
Redmond jumps high for his toy from Santa.
Wooden airplane was on his list...
Proud to have her glass duckie ornament. She wanted a duckie thing from Santa.
"Santa brought me a new snow-globe! I have one again too." Her snow-globe was broken earlier in the week and was very happy to see Santa knew she needed another one.
And then she realized that Santa brought her the doll stroller she wanted!
The excitement that Wesley had for each item was simply amazing!
Santa brought her duckie chopsticks 2 years ago - but they broke. She was very happy to have another set.
Hugging the silly putty - so happy to have her own.
Content with her pillow pet.
Then Joshua and I opened our stockings. But there are no pictures of us…
What a great way spend 35 minutes. 
Tags: Chrismtas 2010, Jillian, Jillian: 3 years 4 months 11 days, Stockings, Wesley, Wesley: 5 years 0 months 28 days
We had a very mellow day today. We took the kids to Target so they could pick out presents for each other. They were super cute and were able to keep their gifts a secret the whole day.
Adrianne came over for dinner. We had pork tenderloin with apples, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and Joshua made some beautiful and yummy french bread. And for dessert we had delicious cream puffs from Beard Papa’s.
The kids were very excited when we told them they could open a present before bed.
Opening 1 gift each - that we of course picked out for them.
They were surprised to find pajamas from Grams and slippers from us.
Set up the snack for Santa and his reindeer.
And now it is time to go to bed.
Jillian fell right asleep.
Wesley not so much...
Why could Wesley not sleep?? Well – thanks to his very silly mom. I went in to turn off his light, because he was fast asleep, and he was sleeping so weirdly that I thought would wake up. So… I moved him a bit. He rolled over and said to me “why are you doing that??” This was taken about 15 minutes later. He finally fell asleep 1 hour later. I feel like such a bad mom! Oh well – he is asleep now.
Santa is done early - by 10:30.
Wesley
Redmond
Jillian
Gifts from Santa to Wesley
Gifts from Santa to Jillian
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.
Tags: Amber, Christmas 2010, Christmas Eve 2010, Jillian, Joshua, Santa, Wesley
This year instead of getting our gingerbread houses from Costco, we got them from Trader Joe’s. Every day since we have made them he talks about how cool the A frame houses are. I hope next year they have them again – because Wesley is already asking for them.
Our decorations
Jillian's Ready
Wesley's Ready
Trying to cut a gumball in half.
Taking a break from decorating for a little snack...
Even Redmond got some icing.
What a mess we made!
Jillian's house - front view
She wanted a dog.
Jillian's house - side 1
Jillian's house - back
Jillian's house - side 2
Wesley's house - front view
Wesley's house - side 1
Wesley's house - back
The sled Joshua made for Wesley's house.
Wesley's house - side 2
The kids waited a whole 24 hours to eat parts off. They would have eaten it sooner – but they wanted to show Papa and Yaya.
Tags: Christmas 2010, Gingerbread Houses, Jillian, Wesley
On Thursday the kids and I went to Macy’s to write letters to Santa. It was a bit strange to have a desk, mailbox and a christmas tree in the middle of the department store…but the kids loved it!
Jillian wrote her letter first. She drew a picture for Santa and then dictated to me what she wanted.
Making her drawing.
Jillian's list to Santa
Dropping it in the mail.
Wesley was not ready to make his list. He was not sure what he wanted. So we walked around the mall, played in the play area and even watched Santa in his chair. Then he was finally ready to write his letter.
Writing his name on his letter.
I helped him with the writing too.
His goes into the box too - but on the top slot.
Happy reading Santa.
Tags: Christmas 2010, Jillian, Letter to Santa, Welsey