CHRISTMAS JOY

Do you like how I was able to use my name as this post subject about Christmas?

Yeah. Me too.

And I would like it to go on record that I didn't bestow even one JOY ornament on any friends, neighbors or family members this year. Not that neighbors aren't friends, because in our unusual case they are. But in most cases... I know many of you out there suffer from horrible neighbor syndrome. Or maybe you're the horrible neighbor. In either case, purchase a JOY ornament and give it to your neighbor or put it on your tree. Problem solved. 

I don't know what it is about Christmas Eve that bores the stinking heck out of Dawson, but keeping him entertained on that one day is excruciating. Then again, I was walking around looking for things to take pictures of. Like the Christmas tree in the mirror.

It wasn't until it was time to FaceTime my family that things started to pick up a little. 

Yes, here you have me taking a picture of me FaceTiming my mom. I'm pretty sure that puts me at the top of the creative food chain.

Dad didn't say much. He just made faces at Evan.

By the time my niece Shadow came around, I was determined to go bigger. 

So we broke out the ipad. My sisters are awesome.

My sister Karen carried us around to ensure everyone had their chance to talk to us. I kept begging her to hold it in front of the American Flag so that I could salute.

A hundred million boredom hours after our FaceTime chat, it was finally time for the Christmas Eve service. 

Our church still uses candles, and they actually let the kids hold them. That's how I know our church is Spirit filled.

Evan was upset that he couldn't light his candle right away so I told him to pretend it was a microphone and he actually liked that idea.

Once it was time to light the candles, my other pyromaniac child was finally happy.

I'm starting to wonder if giving Dawson a lit candle was a good idea.

We have a tradition on Christmas Eve that the boys get to open one gift and it's always pajamas. Last year we extended that tradition to include a Christmas movie as well.

This year they got "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" -yes, the 1986 version which I had never seen before. It was quite excellent and I even shed a few tears at the end when Imogene cried. I checked out the book from our local library but the last few pages of the book were ripped out! It was probably a bratty Herdman kid that did it.

Here they are in their pajamas ready to watch the movie!

 Evan is holding the 2 bags of marshmallows I included in the gift box. It's from the idea I stole from my friend Kelly who stole it from Pinterest. They also got a bag of popcorn, hot chocolate mix and the bag of marshmallows for the hot chocolate. Just to clarify in case you were thinking the marshmallows were for the popcorn. Ew.

I don't understand why some of our pictures in front of the tree look like God is raining light from our ceiling... 

Christmas finally came.

Of course that meant we had to delay the gift giving 5 additional minutes to take our traditional picture of the boys sitting on the stairs. I know my cousin Karla really likes it that we make them do that. She can't wait until they're 28 and 22 and we're still forcing them into it.

I made breakfast pizza and the boys got to dig into their stockings.

It's a curious thing how different the boys are sometimes. Dawson dumps the contents of the entire stocking out onto the floor and Evan gently pulls each individual item out and declares it to the world.

Finally the moment has arrived. The moment that takes 1 full year to come and only 15 minutes to fulfill. At least in our family. Maybe if you're rich it takes a half an hour? I wonder what that's like.

Evan got a Lots and Lots of Trucks dvd. Next up will be his own tv to watch it on in his room because I can't bear the thought of listening to the music on that video for one more second.

Dawson got a Peyton Manning jersey which I will probably borrow.

Evan was super excited to get this crane, as I'm sure you can tell.

And Dawson is fully prepared to embark on another stop motion film now that his Lego dream city has come in the form of a Christmas gift. The Tim Hawkins DVD was a gift from me to him, but it was really a gift from me to me because I love Tim Hawkins comedy.

I got this funny mug.

And I got Jason this Espresso machine which he said he actually liked.

Then I showed him the picture of how disgusted he looked so he made me take again.

As always there's the Christmas mess.

We forced showers, cleaned the living room, and commenced family Christmas pictures.

Before long it was time to go to Grandma & Grandpa Wilkins' for Christmas.

I love lunch.

A little pre-wrestling action before the kids were allowed to get their stockings. I allowed it because it was at 3:00 in the afternoon instead of at 9:00 pm like usual which is bed time.

All the cousins behaving.

Opening stockings.

And then Santa's cousin's dog's owner's best friend came to deliver presents.

Sometimes Evan is the patient one and Dawson lays on his back and randomly tugs at Christmas ornaments.

Dawson got a ginormous art set which I plan to have him use to draw amazing things which he will in turn sell at street side markets as a hobby which will bring in enough money for me to go to Paris. 

The giving came to an end and before bringing Christmas to a close, we took more family pictures.

I love Christmas. Even if it does take 1 full year to come around.