Happy Holidays, Vol. 2

All in all the holidays were awesome this year.  I loved Christmas!  I usually think of Christmas as a chore, what with all the decorating and shopping and going here and there and whatnot.  But this year Jayna made it wonderful!!  No really...no sarcasm!!  This Christmas brought back many GOOD memories of my childhood Christmases and it's good to remember good memories.  Not that I had lots and lots of bad Christmas memories or anything...just that with all the hustle and bustle, it's hard to find time to think about good memories from years ago. 

I forgot to mention in my last post what Chris and I (and Santa) got for Jayna for Christmas.  We got her the LeapFrog Tag Junior with some books, a Clickeroo Pet Salon (that I can't find anywhere on the internet and with LOTS of little pieces to step on), a set of wooden puzzles (that I also can't find on the internet), some play jewelry and some other assorted books and crayons.  Her favorite thing is the play jewelry that I spent exactly $4.00 on.  Forget the awesome (but fairly inexpensive) Tag Junior...she'd rather play with the jewelry.  She puts it on and takes it off.  And then puts it on me.  And then puts it on Chris.  And then puts it on our dogs.  And then puts it on her stuffed animals and baby dolls.  You get the idea.

After things had settled down at our house on Christmas morning, we headed over to Nana M's and Pappaw's (Chris' parents).  There we opened gifts (and Jayna was the designated present passer-outer), drank champagne and ate a good lunch.  Jayna napped while we visited and drank and cooked and such with Chris' parents and everything went well.  It's so nice when things go well.  While Chris' brother Steve and his wife Aimee weren't able to join us this year, they still sent Jayna a Christmas tree ornament and gave her a generous contribution to her college fund.  Nana M and Pappaw got Jayna an American Girl Bitty Baby (much to my dismay, but Jayna LOVES that doll), a LeapFrog AlphaPet Explorer and some other assorted pajamas, books and Sesame Street Paraphernalia that she loves.  She plays with her Sesame Street figurines (sort of like the linked ones) EVERYDAY.

Jayna and Nana M playing with Sesame Street figurines.

Designated present passer-outer

Reading Ten Little Puppies.  This is now our new bedtime book.  Check it out...it's an awesome book!

Opening her Bitty Baby.

Happy kid with lots of new things!

Jayna and Pappaw playing with the singing LeapFrog toy.

In the late afternoon, we headed over to Nana and Pawpaw's house (my parents).  While there, we opened gifts, ate a wonderful dinner and played the Wheel of Fortune board game with my nephew.   He is good at board games!!  For only 7 years old, he knows what he's doing!  Jayna got a giant toy box, Elmo Live Encore, LeapFrog Fridge Phonics and some other assorted clothes and toys from Nana and Pawpaw.  She also got an Elmo Purse (sort of like this linked one, but not exactly) and Elmo Jack in the Box from her Uncle Tony, Aunt Summer and cousin Anthony.  We had a great time!

Jayna and Nana opening gifts

A very excited little girl on Christmas Day.

Opening her LeapFrog Fridge Phonics toy.

Opening Elmo Live Encore with Nana

Discovering just exactly what this cool Elmo does.

The kid LOVES rolls!!

The day was great and Jayna (AND Chris and I) slept like logs that night.  And then we did it all over again the next day.  On Saturday after Christmas, Chris, Jayna and I went to celebrate Christmas with my dad's side of the family.  More on that in the next post...