Christmas Morning

There are just some images that cannot be erased from my memory.
On December 25th, 2008, I saw my children's faces erupt into unparalleled excitement and surprise! I'll never forget it. Early Christmas morning we had walked down the stairs to see what Santa had left for everybody and then spent some time unwrapping presents from the generous cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and siblings. (Thank you everyone!) It was so much fun to watch as the kids were unwrapping, oohing, ahhing, sharing, laughing, giggling, sneering (after unwrapping the present with their brand new underwear...), playing, jumping, and just delighting in every moment. Finally, when there was a giant bag filled with torn paper shrapnels, (I have to determine whether the paper is good enough to reuse or recycle after each present is opened to keep the mess down, (once again, my OCD)) ...Chris and I looked at one another in great anticipation. It was the kind of look that two parachuters would shoot one another right before they jumped... This was the time that Chris and I opted to give the kids their present from us.
We explained that they had been very good this year and that because of their attention to: schoolwork, chores, their being peacemakers and being kind to one another, because they were learning how to be good sports and team players, and so on, that we wanted to give them something from us. (I'm sure they were wondering why mom and dad were being so melodramatic.)
They had actually asked Santa for a trampoline in their letters but what they didn't know was that mom had it ordered a month or two prior to Christmas. The chances of them wanting one from Santa was sheer dumb luck for me.
Earlier in the morning, Aubrey had asked to look outside to see if Santa had left a trampoline, per her request, but Chris and I just happened to redirect her attention to a few of her other presents laying under the tree. And then the moment came, after our parental speech on how we loved them and were grateful for them, we opened the curtains to the backyard...
Their faces were priceless.
I will never forget them yelling "Thank you! Thank you! over and over again as they raced to the giant jumping, flipping, egg-cracking, donkey-kicking machine that stood in front of them! Truthfully, we haven't seen them since! Come to think of it, I haven't seen my husband for awhile either! It was totally worth it!
Another favorite memories of Christmas morning was when Aubrey stood up to give us her gift. She had wrapped a list of the things she was grateful for, and what she thought the true meaning of Christmas is and read it aloud for the family. I just love that girl!

This is the present that Walker thought was a rock from Santa. (I guess because it was heavy and hard.) Boy was he glad to find out it really wasn't!
When Maverick finally started to feel on the up-n-up he really wanted to try out his new bike from Santa. I love this picture because he's also 1. wearing the cute Christmas PJ's from Aunt Randa and 2. he's actually wearing pants. I have a hard time keeping clothes on that kid!
I think her expression just about sums up what Ainsley thought of Christmas. She loved going through every one's stockings and finding their treats and then crawling over the mounds of crinkly wrapping paper.