Christmas celebration

Well, Santa Claus found our Florida retreat this year!

The boys have apparently been very good this year ~ not only are they able to spend a week at Mojo & Dado's house for the holidays, but then St. Nick manages to leave them exactly what they asked him for... and then some!

First, there was a veritable city of Playmobil left out that kept the boys entertained until the grown-ups could wake up enough to open presents and take pictures:

When Santa's gifts were opened Hamp got the football he wanted and Sam... well, Sam got exactly what he has been talking about for two months: a fushigi ball!

(if you don't know what it is, that's ok. It's obscure ~ leave it to Sam to pick something like this! ~ and if you ask Sam he'll tell you "it's magic".)

Of course, Santa wasn't the only generous gift giver this year...

There were wii games (that have occupied all three of my boys well this week!), plenty of fun and thoughtful little gag gifts and apparel items, more MagFormers for the boys, and lots of great stocking stuffers: But perhaps my favorite gift is the Barbie Doll that Hamp and Sam got for me!

Eventhough Uncle Alec & Aunt Jei couldn't be with us in Florida, they certainly filled the room with the spirit of Christmas ~ their generosity and thoughtfulness was overwhelming as the boys played the wii and the grown-ups opened gift after gift and laughed and cried and laughed some more!

I had to include this photo of the big boys demonstrating to Uncle Alec on the phone how the FLARP or "noise putty" works... in case you're wondering, it sounds like passing gas and everyone thought is was very, very funny. We're so mature:

THANK YOU ALEC & JEI for the wonderful Christmas celebration ~ it could have only been better if you had been here in person... we miss you!

What a precious day we spent together ~ and that's only the beginning! Much more adventure to come here in sunny (but chilly!) Florida. Until then, I hope you had a very merry Christmas and are planning for a very happy New Year!