Ok, I'm guilty. I'm the mom that gets a thrill out of planning my kids birthday. Well earlier this year the boys agreed on having their birthday party at the Karate studio where Ethan takes lessons. It was going to be so cool. They were going to give all the kids a lesson, their own karate uniform, nunchucks and would cut the cake with a real samarai sword (I mean, who wouldn't want that?) Well Bryce decided at the last minute that he didn't want his party there since he didn't take karate lessons. They could never agree on a place (the only downfall of having twins or more than one child) so we had a family day. Joe and I took them to the mall to Build a Bear workshop. We did a little bit of shopping and left. They had a great time picking out their stuffed animals, bathing them, dressing them and of course, loving on them. They filled their bellies on cookies from none other...The Great American Cookie Co. (hehe) and sodas (gotta love Grandparents (: )
We came home long enough to call the other set of Grandparents and made our way to Chuck E. Cheese for pizza and games. We told the hostess it was their birthday and they made a special announcement and then treated us and my children like we were first priority. They really went above and beyond for a family night of celebrating. They gave my kids free tokens, a hat, candy, and several of the "prizes." They boys said it was their best birthday...yet of course.
Then came Christmas Eve. We went to church for Christmas Eve service. Then afterwards our friends invited us over to their house for dinner. We read the Christmas story to the kids and let them find little people that were set up like the manger scene. We sang a couple of Christmas carols and then enjoyed some magic. The kids opened presents (while Joe and I hid a few under our friends tree for them to enjoy Christmas day) and we made it home just in time to get out the cookies for Santa and pour a nice glass of milk. Bryce left his Bible so Santa could read it before he left.
Christmas morning we woke up and did our traditional singing of Happy Birthday to Jesus. We all came downstairs. This year Santa brought each child 3 presents. Just like Jesus. I was very proud of my boys when they were asked who else got 3 gifts and they correctly answered and even answered with what the 3 gifts were. They boys had a blast playing with their new laptops and Maggie with her new stroller. Each Christmas is so wonderful and precious. One day Joe and I will wake up and there will be no pitter patter of little feet or stinky breath telling us to wake up that Santa has come.
After we opened our presents, Joe's parents came over and we opened more presents. Then Joe and I went to my parents where we enjoyed lunch and played a stealing Santa game. My parents came over a little later to open presents. My boys are seeing more and more how much fun it is to give than to receive. Now don't get me wrong, they love getting gifts but they are truly understanding that Christmas isn't about the laptops, or stockings but rather about the very first gift that was ever wrapped, baby Jesus.
