Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas Joy

Wow - can we say someone got a little spoiled this year?? Actually we probably need to say we ALL got a little spoiled this year. We had a wonderful Christmas!! I think I'll try telling it in pictures to keep this post from dragging on and on!!

We started out Christmas Eve morning by explaining to Daniel what the empty stocking meant and hanging it up for Santa to fill up that night.


Next we took Daniel to day care for a half day so we could assemble the train table and train tracks we got him for Christmas. It took us forever to get the train set just right. (No picture, we were too frazzled!!)

After picking him up from day care we drove about 2 and half hours to Troy's parents for Christmas Eve dinner with the whole family. Then we opened gifts with them. Can we say Granny and Grandpa are so organized. Each of the three grandsons had tons of gifts and they were color coordinated. Daniel got green wrapping (my favorite color)! He got tons of stuff - shirts, pants, a slinky dog, Octopus paydoh set, a handmade quilt from his great grandmother Doris in FL, and the best was the safari wagon from Granny and Grandpa!! Boy that was a big hit (and still is!) We've even been informed that we are going to a zoo with Daniel's Aunt Amber, Uncle Stephen and cousin Parker in the spring because the safari wagon has to go with us! Sounds like fun to us!




After having to tie our trunk down for the drive home, we managed to fall into bed and the next morning we woke to see this...


We took Daniel out of his room and told him Santa came to fill his stocking. He knew just where to go. Doesn't he look excited?? In fact he didn't want to open anything, just hold it until I explained there might be a train or something in there he might like to play with!


After we all finished our gifts, we told Daniel we had one more gift for him from Mama and Papa. We took him into his room and Papa pulled back the white sheet (we are creative right?!). The look on his face was so worth it. Both of his hands were full and when he realized what he was seeing one hand slowly opened and toys started falling on the floor and then the other hand opened. It was like slow motion and Troy and I were so cracked up.


So, remember how long it took us to assemble the train tracks (hint: forever). It took Daniel about 3 seconds to take it all apart!!

We finished out the day with dinner with my mom (grandmom).
What a wonderful Christmas it was!

17 comments:

Dede said...

How fun...the kids make it all worth it!

Kevin T. said...

What amazing pictures! It sounds like you all had a very Merry 1st Christmas all together!
Have a Very Happy New Year!

Joy said...

The Christmas that my nephew got that table he played with those trains until he fell asleep. It was hours of fun.
Joy

Becky and Keith said...

I'm so jealous of the train table! It looks like Daniel LOVED it! Amazing how long it takes to put these things together (or wrap gifts) and in 2 minutes all of that hard work is gone! Love the safari buggy - too cute. Remind me to email you about the Octopus Playdoh set. Grrrrr... :-)

Anonymous said...

So glad you had a very merry first Christmas as a family of three! The expression on Daniel's face in some of these photos is just priceless!

Mary and Michael said...

What a great Christmas. I love Daniel's wagon and the train set too. Looking at the photos I would have to say that his first Christmas was definitely a success. He is a cutie. Happy New Year!

Chris said...

No wonder it was a great Christmas, you had Daniel to celebrate it with! Yeah!

The safari wagon is really cool! I want one!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Dan and Alicia Marlowe said...

It is evident that he was delighted! So cute.

Sira said...

He looks like he had a wonderful Christmas... What a lucky boy!

Carey and Norman said...

The train table and track look so fun. I love the looped track.

I'm so glad Daniel had a fun time on Christmas and Christmas Eve. His photos do show his excitement! The safari wagon looks fun (and great for those hot, sunny days).

Love the color coordinating gifts. Great idea!

Tami said...

So much fun! I especially love watching the little ones opening their gifts. Maddie was in heaven. She loved watching the others open their presents as much as she liked opening her own! :)

Craig and Phyllis said...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, late, of course! Dima got the same train track as Daniel, however, his emotions were not the same! : ) He would have rather had a remote control car like his brothers. I understand about the 2 hours and the 3 seconds. Ryan, Craig and I were working on setting the train up (we did not have a train table like you guys) and Dima did very well in 'disassembling' it.

I was so excited to get my Christmas cards addressed before we left for Russia. That was big time for me! Now I will always think that I should have all our gifts color coded (we do that with our drinking glasses)! I'm obviously not a 'born organized' person! : )

Susan said...

Love the look on his face with the train table. The story of him dropping the toys is very funny.

Carolynn and Steve said...

So glad that you all had a great Christmas...sorry it has taken me so long to leave a comment. Like Becky said, the train table is pretty amazing--I'm not sure I would have had the patience to put it all together in the mad rush before Christmas. So cool to read your descriptions of your first Christmas together--may the New Year bring you blessings and joy!

Shane & Marie said...

It is so hard not to spoil them isn't it?!? I love the train table. Shane also spent awhile putting Bryson's together and it only took seconds for him to destroy it. Oh well. That is boys for you. I'm so glad you family had a wonderful first Christmas together.

Lakeshore Cottage Living said...

Love the wagon! The train table is pretty cool too. We really enjoy trains at our house too. The family room floor is usually covered in tracks during snow days...that is something that Daniel will enjoy for years to come.

He is getting so big and I know it was fun to have a sweet baby at Christmas...and was probably a special time for everyone.

You guys are such a wonderful little family!

Kristine

Mama Fish said...

Rachel- I love the train set! We still have ours from when my older boys were little...we've hidden it until he is old enough to really enjoy it!

I cannot believe how big Daniel is getting! I was looking back at old posts of yours as well, and seeing just how far he has come. Like when he first said Mama and you almost drove off the road. (I know you were kidding). But what a great milestone! He is doing so well!