Merry Christmas from Mommy and Daddy

Another Thrailkill tradition is that we don't open all the presents on Christmas day. The kids are off for a week - and we try to spread the gifts out a little!

We gave the kids gifts from us a few days later - new video games.

Mikaela received a Leapster L-Max - with two games. She loves the drawing game that came with it, and the Clifford game (especially the part where Emily Elizabeth tells jokes).

Xander received a V-Smile Pocket - with two games. He loves the Wiggles music game, and the Wiggles music game.

Guitar Hero III

Santa brought Tommy Guitar Hero III - which turned out to be the Christmas morning hit!

Everyone got in line to be the next rock star - and Tommy has been rocking out all week!

Christmas Morning Continues

Our Christmas morning celebration continued with my parents coming up to visit with the kids and see what Santa had brought.

Mikaela had been waiting all week for Nana's yummy pancakes - shaped like Christmas ornaments of course! We had sausage, grits casserole, scrambled eggs and Christmas coffee (and OJ for the kiddos) with our pancakes.

The kids made new coffee mugs for the Nana and Aunt Ashleigh - and a new birdhouse for Papa.

Nana and Papa gave us a Ratioulle night - the movie, stuffed animal characters, cooking set and apron and mitt for daddy! We had our Ratioulle night a few nights later and much fun was had by all!

Merry Christmas!

We were awakened very early by the pitter patter of little feet - little Xander feet. "Mama - I did not hear jingle bells - I think Santa didn't come yet." I reassured him that of course Santa visited him - he just was sleeping so good that he missed the bells. "Mama - I don't think he ate his cookies - maybe he was too full from eating everyone elses cookies." Even Santa with a full tummy from eating cookies all night, had room in his tummy for our homemade sugar cookies - I am sure of it. Xander, Daddy and I spent an hour or so thinking about all the Santa wonders we could - and then we woke up sissy.

The kids rushed into the living room - and both went straight to Mikaela's pile of presents. Xander was anxious to help her start opening. Tommy and I giggled and directed him to his own stash. "Santa brought me a talking bird - a talking bird!" Xander tore through all his presents quickly - opened none to play with, just kept unwrapping. Along with the talking bird, Santa was kind enough to bring Xander a firehouse (very cool - with doors that open and close), a dinosaur mountain (for dinosaurs to live in), a batmobile with action figures (so far, no one is crazy about Aquaman - but Superman with his rocket ship is a favorite), and his first Superman comic book.

Mikaela daintily opened each gift. No wrapping paper was torn. After opening a gift, she took it out of the box, admired it, showed it off, and found a spot for it on her vanity. Santa brought her a vanity (a big girl one!), new dress up clothes (the fancy Cinderella dress is the biggest hit), more lip gloss than a girl should wear at one time, and a music box (complete with a spinning ballerina). The littlest pet shop diary was a big hit - it even barks at your little brother if he tries to open it instead of you. She exclaimed quickly "Santa brought me everything I wanted!"

Tommy and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them, playing with them, and enjoying their sheer excitement.

Christmas Eve

As a Thrailkill family tradition, the kids open gifts from each other on Christmas Eve. We take a nice bath (Santa doesn't visit stinky kids), slide into our cutest Christmas pjs (don't they look adorable matching this year - ahhhhh), and crawl up in front of the Christmas tree.

I like how opening the presents apart from the rest of the present madness makes those presents special - the only ones that they open.

We learned last year that the kids can't keep a surprise - within moments of arriving home from Walmart with their selection, they had already shared their enthusiastic purchases ("Sissy - I got you a Barbie toy!).

This year, Mommy did the shopping and hid the presents. After our baths, the kids wrapped their presents for each other, and promptly exchanged them.

Xander is still sleeping with his talking Spiderman - it not only does the Itsy Bitsy Spider dance, but it also plays a spiderman theme song!

Mikaela loves her castle floor puzzle - it is HUGE! She adored her diary and matching pens as well.

Mommy and daddy loved those few brief moments where the children loved each other - and were kind:).

Rosi and Toni's first Christmas!

Rosi and Toni (our American Girl dolls) celebrated their first Christmas.

A friend of Nana's was kind enough to loan us matching outfits for Mikaela and Rosi for Christmas this year - don't they look ADORABLE?

Mikaela loved dressing the dolls up in their Christmas outfits and toting them around.

Some of you may remember that Rosi and Toni also visited Santa this year - think me, two kids, a little rain, a double stroller with two baby dolls and a mall the week before Christmas. I have been told that these are the moments that I will reflect fondly on in future years..........

Rosi and Toni must have been great this year for they received dress up clothes from Santa - a princess costume for Rosi and a prince costume for Toni.

Darling - I assure you!

Christmas at the Garrens!

Our Christmas celebrating continued with a trip out to visit the Garren boys, our cousins!

Aunt Tracie and Uncle Jake always make sure we have a good time.

First we ate a yummy lunch - and then on to the presents.

Mikaela received a baking set and butterfly baking pan. She quickly adorned the apron and got right to making us some scrumptious pretend cookies.

Xander opened a pair of superman pajamas. Never has anyone stripped to their underwear in the Garren living room so fast - he promptly put on those pjs and wore them until his bath at home that night.

We enjoyed watching Cooper open his art kit from us - and he was kind enough to share his supplies with us. Wyatt seemed to enjoy playing superheros with his daddy with his new Spiderman and Doctor (???- I'm drawing a blank on his name).

We always enjoy watching Bearpa open his gifts. He liked our birdhouse that the kids worked hard on.

A little play time for the kids (and the daddies - Tommy is very jealous of Uncle Jake's new XBox 360 and game room!), a few Christmas cookies and it was home to get ready for Santa.

Knoch Family Christmas

We continued our Christmas celebration with a trip to Barnesville. Two kids, one movie, early morning (we had already been to Sunday school), LONG ride!

We stopped at Sonic for a quick lunch - tator tots and slushies for all!

The kids had a great time at Aunt Patty's house. Cousin Kati has her own room there with lots of toys! She is allowed to have an easel, and paint, and a TV in her room. Lucky kid.

Aunt Patty gave Xander 6 CARS cars from the movie - which were quickly raced on the kitchen floor. Mikaela received a beautiful Cinderella nightgown - fit for a princess.

It was great too see everyone - Bobby, Shannon and their four girls (Samantha, Jillian, Kati, and Chloe), Matt, Richard, John, Aunt Susie and Uncle Jimmy (and her brother Sandy), Aunt Patty and Uncle Bob, and of course Grandma and Grandpa Knoch!

Stone Mountain Christmas

We spent a Saturday afternoon at Stone Mountain Park for their Christmas festival this year. So much fun!!!! Mommy and daddy are getting smarter - they brought two strollers for the tired little legs.

We started out at the 4D Polar Express Movie - yes, 4D! A box of popcorn, some too cool glasses and we were ready. The movie begins as the train arrives to pick up the little boy - as the train arrives, your seat begins to shake as if you were riding the train too. We felt the wet water from the ice as the train slid around on its way, we felt the puffs of wind from the speed of the train, and it even snowed as we left the North Pole!

After the movie, we headed into Santa's village. The kids made reindeer hats, Christmas tree ornaments, and even had the opportunity to decorate a cookie. We passed on seeing Santa - we got close, but no picture ops this time. Hey - he already knew we wanted a talking bird and pet shop diary, why take up his time again?

Off to shoot snowballs - look at that arm on Mikaela!

We had a snack in the Chicken restaurant while we waited for the snow angel. She was well worth the wait - she arrived even in the rain. She let us take our picture with her, and then Mikaela really needed the same snow wand. Push a button, hear the twirly music, see the pretty lights, close your eyes and pretend you can see the snow too!

Xander chose a Christmas train puzzle for his prize of the day - big surprise!

Next we rode the Sing a Long Christmas carol train - around the mountain to a little Deck the Halls (the worse you sing, the louder you should participate!). A family favorite was the light show presentation of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Mikalea adores the "5 golden rings" while her brother is partial to the "Twelve drummers drumming."

We ended our evening around the bonfire (still in the rain) watching the laser show.