Christmas

We had a nice day.  Eli was really into Santa and gifts this year more than last year.  He was excited which made us all very excited!  We had one of Santa's Elves visit us for a couple of weeks and watch all of our behavior.  We even had Eli apologize to him a couple of times when he had made sad choices.  What a nice behavior tool.

We made lots of cookies and a gingerbread house this year.  The house was from a kit.  I just wasn't sure how interested he would be in making the house and how long his attention span would be...so, rather than spending all the time baking, building and then decorating, we just had to build and decorate!  And, he didn't finish decorating - lost his attention for awhile.

Mom came over and helped us decorate the tree.  Eli was so cute placing all the ornaments and then Mom and I would move some of them for being too close together or too low to the bottom if they were 'breakable.'  We have a new topper this year - rather than my snowman - and that was the only thing Husband did to decorate the tree.  He was a good observer.  That's okay, though, he helped with the take-down.  (My most unfavorite part!)

Christmas morning, Mom came over at about 7 to watch as Eli found his gift from Santa and his stocking items.  He was so cute when he came downstairs!  He promptly dumped out EVERYONE's stockings and then noticed his Buzz Lightyear!

Husband made breakfast and then we opened the rest of the gifts at our house.  After breakfast and gifting, Mom went home to get ready for lunch and more gifts at her house.

Terry and Kit had come up from Houston so we were all here.  We played for awhile before lunch was ready and then we enjoyed a yummy meal.  Eli had to sit next to Uncle Terry at the table and he even led our prayer!  Good job, Eli!

On Christmas Eve, Eli helped Mom prepare the bread for stuffing.  He was a great helper!

We took other pics on Mom's camera that have yet to be downloaded but you get the idea!  We all missed Daddy and his humor very much, of course, but we're getting used to our 'new normal' without him.