Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Believe

I figured I had better hurry up and post Christmas, as New Year's is now upon us....
The kids left this note for Santa
(you'll want to read it)
(we wouldn't want to offend Santa by suggesting he needs to eat "healthy" food and trim down a little!)
Abby did NOT go to sleep until 1:30am, which is about the time, Ethan woke up, and by 2am Elise and Samantha were up!! I gave up and went to sleep at 2. Then... at 4AM we were awakened by the noise of children milling around in the living room peeking in stockings!!

We sent them upstairs until we finally caved in around 5:15 and got out of bed to open presents.


Stylin' Elise in her new sweater, jewelry and boots

Samantha was a little bummed this year because she had asked us and extended family to send money to put in her flute fund this year instead of Christmas presents, so there were not many presents under the tree for her. Then when all the other presents were opened we found this one...
(I love Elise's comment in the video "I told you not to loose hope" :D)

Thanks to generous family we were able to get the flute she wanted (although she still has to payoff her part of the flute), and she can now practice and play her way to a college scholarship! :-D

The kids cooked up this idea Christmas Eve and told us it was our present...(yes, this is our shower stall draped in a table cloth and a sheet)

This is what we discovered when it was unveiled Christmas morning...

I thought it was sweet until I saw the SHARPIE sitting by my bathroom sink!! Why would they use permanent marker on my glass shower??? Samantha assured me they "tested it". Sure enough... it does come off... and so my children live to see another sun rise.
Speaking of sunrise... I went back to bed around sunrise at 7am until I got up to make breakfast around 8. Brad needed a nap later in the day too.
We had a wonderful Christmas and are so grateful to everyone who sent gifts and cards and made it such a wonderful day.
Thank you!

10 comments:

brittany said...

looks like a perfect Christmas at the Bryan household, who were the marshmallows for? Lily has that same jacket Elise is wearing, SO cool that Sam got her "dream" present, and I totally would have been freaking out over the shower... glad it was tested and made sure to come off!

Christie said...

what fun! I am not so sure that I would like that shower gift. To me it says "here mom, a mess, for you." Not so sweet. :-) I love the video of Sam opening her Flute. Do you really think she didn't know? LOL!! What a fun gift.

Anonymous said...

Do you think maybe Samantha liked her gift? I don't know--she seemed speechless. I am sure it is one of those Christmas gifts that will always be deeply appreciated and will be put to very good use. Elise looks so cute in her new sweater and shoes. Can't make out what the gift is that Ethan is holding. Abby is excited and bubbly as always. What a great Christmas for everyone.

Anonymous said...

WOW!!! Looks like 'The Best Christmas Ever'

Ben said...

Santa (aka Tracey) got me a box full of Wunderbars for Christmas! I'm so glad he stopped in Canada on the way to Arizona. Best. Gift. Ever!

Sarah said...

What a great Christmas! I can't believe how early your kids got up! Well, I guess I can since it's Christmas morning :) The sharpie on the shower made me laugh so hard! I am glad they tested it first!

Becky said...

Wow, that's WAY too early! I was hoping for 8, but my kids got up around 7:20. I would have freaked out about the sharpie!

Natalie said...

I Love your Santa Letter!Its so CUTE!And I think your the nicest mom around to let your kids up at that time to open gifts!

AceMott6 said...

Love the videos, especially Samantha's reaction to her flute! So cute. Your voice sounded quite sleepy in Abby's video! :)

SJacobus said...

I was cracking up the whole way through this. Samantha's video was great and I'm so glad the marker washed off. We were such bums compared to you guys!