Christmas Day...

Christmas morning we woke up and fed Benjamin breakfast in our office so that he couldn't see Santa came yet. After that we piled into our bed to read the Christmas story (from the bible). It was quite difficult and hard to do with two very squirmy children who just wanted to jump on mommy and daddy's "crib" as Benjamin calls it. After that we got to go out and see what Santa brought. There was something extra magical this year about Christmas with out children. I guess it is partly the whole understanding Santa and the excitement was so fun!

Benjamin saw the kitchen that he got and that was it! He was sold completely and we lost him for the rest of the morning. We had to make him open the rest of his gifts. He was cooking away and loving every minute of it. Every once in a while he would turn around and look at something else he got, but it was all about the kitchen. I think I might have a future chef on my hands.

Exploring every single area of his kitchen.

Caleb and mommy opening his first gift.

He was into the bows and paper.

The boys got lots of books to add to their collection.

Benjamin still hard at work cooking in his kitchen

Caleb watching his toy wiggle around and play music.

Brad and Caleb opening gifts

Benjamin stops cooking to look at Caleb's toy... then goes back to cooking.

Finally Brad gets Benjamin to open another gift... a guitar like daddy's "tar"

Caleb and mommy going through his stocking

and Benjamin cooks some more!

Brad opening his "big" gift. He opened this first box to find another box inside...

and another box...

and another box...

and another box... There were 7 total... then it got down to a tiny little box and inside was a note...

and the note said...

sorry this one is blurry...

about that time there were bells chiming from inside our Christmas tree... So he went over and picked out the box... He unwrapped it, still not realizing what it was.. he saw the apple symbol and thought it was an ipod.. but he was wrong... it was his new Iphone! He was so excited.. at this point I lost my husband for the rest of the day! He was pretty shocked! After that I got to open my gift which was a beautiful diamond cross necklace!~ It is tiny and petite and I love it! I also got a new yankee candle, and a game, and the movie Julie and Julia.

Our family on Christmas morning 2009!

Around 11:00 we went to Brad's dad's house. This was extra special because we have never seen Brad's dad on Christmas eve or day. We have always seen him sometime after Christmas, so it was so nice to go over there and spend time with them. Below is Benjamin opening gifts with Andrew (his uncle).

Tom with Andrew and our two boys.

Brad's dad got him a new record player to replace the one that was stolen from our house and along with it got him some pretty amazing records. One is the original Abbey Road and it has never been opened. Brad was so excited about this.

Brad and his dad

After much playing in the playroom and eating some Christmas cookies etc, we headed on our way to my parents house. We got there around 1:30 and just hung out for a while, we got all the kids fed and put Caleb down for a nap. My nephews Wyatt and Finn also went down for a nap. We ate lots of food and then started opening gifts. If you have ever been part of a Hilton Christmas you know that the one thing that is our favorite is our Christmas stocking. There is nothing like it! My mom has tried many times to stop doing them but has never been able to because we all pitch a fit! She will be doing them forever. They are just amazing and our favorite part about Christmas day. So we all went through our stockings first and had so much fun doing it. Then we started opening gifts.

Here is Brad wrestling in the kitchen floor with Benjamin

Benjamin immediately ran in and went straight to his wagon! He loved it and sat in it for a while.

Benjamin was the only child not taking a nap so he got to open his gifts and he got some fun Melissa and Doug food that is attached by velcro and has a big wooden knife that you can cut it with. He had so much fun slicing fruits and veggies.

Brad got an LSAT Book from my parents and was so excited. It just happened to be the exact one that everyone told him he needed to get.

Nanna getting some Benjamin love.

This was the gift we gave Wyatt and Finn... It was wrapped in brown paper and then Benjamin got to color it himself. I thought it was a fun way to wrap gifts. Next year I think we will do all the family gifts this way because I will have two little boys eager to color on paper with markers.

Finn 14 months and Caleb 9 months wearing the same shirt) playing on boxes and having a great time together.

Helping Caleb unwrap his gifts.

Going for their first wagon ride... but no where near the last wagon ride. They had so much fun. The wagon has seat belts to hold them in.

Grandad and Gennie and their friends Charlie and Tracy came over for a while to see everyone. I love this part of Christmas... Everyone getting together, having fun conversations and laughing. It is just the best and there is nothing better in my book!

Gennie and the boys.

Mom, Finn and Brent

Dad

Tracy, Mom and Caleb, Gennie and Grandad, Benjamin in the blue, Wyatt on the toy, Finn at the table and Anne with Wyatt.

The boys playing with new toys.

Nanna and Caleb.

Nanna and all her boys.

These are the pajamas that Tom and Jacquelyn got for our boys and I LOVE them! They are so cute on! Benjamin kept putting his hand through the back flap and running around with his hands in his pants. He thought it was funny.

We had the most wonderful Christmas filled with so much family time and there is nothing I love more! Oh! Caleb also stood up by himself while holding onto nothing! We might be close to walking!