Christmas Fun

Christmas is crazy for us each year, but we love it! We have at least eight different places to go (& that only includes family Christmases) and we begin celebrating Dec. 1st! We started the holiday season with a Morgan/Fulgham family cookie/candy swap at Hanna's house then moved right into Family Christmases starting with Memee's big Morgan Christmas at Legion State Park and ending with Christmas with the Scarbrough's Christmas night.

For the Fulgham family Christmas we got the little girls matching pj's...aren' t they precious? Christmas was at Dawn and Kim's new house in Mathiston this year, and Kimberlin had a voice recital that night at 7 so it was about 9 before we ever got to start opening gifts. The pajamas came in pretty handy since we ended up not getting home until after midnight. Phew! Long night!
After decorating cookies on Christmas Eve, we headed to the Oglesby's and then the Morgan's...two Christmases in one night makes another late night!

Christmas morning after opening gifts at home, we went to Popa and Onda's to open gifts. The girls were so excited about Christmas this year! Of course, I think Presley's pouting in this picture...who knows why? Probably because I wouldn't let her have anymore chocolate...lol!

I had to share this picture.... On Christmas Eve, even though we got home late, we have a tradition in which we allow the girls to open one present from each other. Makenzie got Presley a Hannah Montana CD (that she, of course, wanted herself lol) and Presley got Makenzie a tea party book. They were so excited with what the other gave them that they both jumped up and gave each other a hug....it was sooo sweet! Presley has listened to that Hannah Montana CD every day since ha!

We wrapped up Christmas at Ricky and Mary's. Can you tell Makenzie's excited about her gift? The girls are sooo spoiled! Honestly, I think this year has been the year we've really had to start teaching our kids. Their little eyes got huge when they took in the gifts, and it was all about the opening. They'd open and throw before they'd ever see what they were getting, and I really had to have a talk with both of them about being appreciative. THEN, on Christmas morning, Makenzie walked into the living room, took one look at the vanity (that she'd picked out), and said, "That's not the one I wanted!" At that point, I could have loaded it all up and given it to a needy family, but I kept myself in check and asked her why to which she replied, "I wanted a big girl hair stylist/makeup table like Aunt KK has." So, I reminded my child that she was 3, not 20! She got over it quickly and has loved playing with her vanity since...guess she was just trying to see what she could get by with....Lord, help us! It really makes me wish we didn't do gifts everywhere we went, and that we just got together to visit with family. I don't want my kids thinking Christmas is all about the presents, and even though we read the Christmas story from the Bible and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus at each place, I still feel like they're missing the true meaning of Christmas when all those gifts are handed out. I want my children to enjoy Christmas, but I want them to understand that presents are NOT the reason we celebrate. I know I can't possibly be alone in this....