Christmas 2012

This year I wanted to cut down on the number of gifts so I tried to stick to this rule that I read on this blog.

"Something they way, something they need, something to wear, something to read"

"Something they want" was a DVD player and screens for the van. I made 2 mock-up tv screens for them to pull down from the fire place and read to explain what they were getting. They also got 7 new Christmas movies that they could watch on our trip to/from Monroe for Christmas.


"Something they need" was a little personalized cash box for each of them to hold their money or any other little knick-knacks that they want to keep safe.

"Something to wear"

• Luke - long-sleeve Saints shirt, jeans, socks
• Cameron - long-sleeve LSU shirt, jeans, socks
• Miriam - Hello Kitty Christmas shirt, red pants
• Levi - Levi jeans
• Micah - 2 bows
• Cole - LSU winter hat
• Melody - LSU cheerleader shirt, pants, and headband

"Something to read"

• Luke - "The Hobbit"
• Cameron - Ninjago readers
• Miriam - Bible
• Levi - Ninjago sticker book
• Micah - school scrapbook
• Cole - Duplo build & read
• Melody - birthday keepsake

There were some other random things that the kids got because either they needed it or because their older siblings also got one when they were younger.

• Luke/Cameron - LSU shower curtain
• Micah - personalized cheerleader frame
• Cole - personalized pilot case and tolietry bag
• Melody - It's a Girl football

The kids drew each other's names this year, so they had fun choosing gifts for each other. So this is where they got their toys from.

• Luke gave Cole a Chuggington train set, and bought some Hot Wheels tracks for all the kids
• Cameron gave Micah a cupcake necklace
• Miriam gave Melody a Fisher Price giraffe toy
• Levi gave Luke some sweat wrist bands and a Hot Wheels track
• Micah gave Miriam a Disney princess sing-a-long microphone
• Cole gave Levi some Star Wars figurines
• Melody gave Cameron the Carnival Games wii game

On Christmas Eve we put out the DVD letter, the cash boxes, Christmas movies, and some of the Hot Wheels tracks. So when the kids woke up, they looked in their stockings, read their letter, and played with their cash boxes. Once PawPaw/ZeeZee, Aunt Laura/Uncle Eric/Elliott, and Aunt Sara got there, we ate our traditional Christmas breakfast, biscuits and sausage balls.

After breakfast, Miriam opened the first gift. Her new purple ESV Bible with her name on it.

Daddy helped her read the hard parts. Then Cameron & Luke helped read the rest of the passage.

After the reading of the Christmas story, the kids acted it out for us. It was their gift to us.

Mary (Micah) & Joseph (Cameron) traveling to Bethlehem; Joseph asking the Inn Keeper (Levi) for a place to stay; Joseph laying Baby Jesus (Melody) in the manger

The angel telling the shepherds not to be afraid; Shepherd (Luke) visiting Baby Jesus; Wise Man (Luke) bringing a gift; Wise Men (Levi, Luke & Miriam) bowing down to worship Baby Jesus

The cast - Cole was supposed to be a sheep but he was too busy playing with some toys

The chaos of opening gifts

Luke with his Saints Reverse-a-Pal from Uncle Chris and his Drew Brees jersey from PawPaw & ZeeZee

Cameron with his LSU watch from PawPaw & ZeeZee, Micah with her Stompeez from Uncle Chris, and Cole opening a gift.

Micah's Stompeez and Cole opening another gift

I'm disappointed that I didn't get any pictures of Melody since it was her 1st Christmas but she was taking a nap during the opening of gifts.

Thanks to

• PawPaw & ZeeZee for the green machine, razor scooter, and razor caster scooter & other individual gifts
• Aunt Laura & Uncle Eric for the Disney Just Dance game and the 2 bilibos
• Uncle Chris for the Saints & LSU Reverse-a-pals and Stompeez
• Uncle Lee & Aunt Lauren for the educational & bath toys
• Aunt Sara for the homemade hula hoops