Christmas!

I am very focused right now on my friend's hairbow website, so I'm a full week behind on blogging and checking my bloglines, but I wanted to post some photos from Christmas:

All of the kids opened new pajamas on Christmas Eve, so they're all wearing their new jammies in the pictures. In a tradition dating from my days as a child, everybody has Life Savers Sweet Storybooks in their stockings, although Santa brings our kids the Gummy Savers kind (since they're not as messy); he's kind of considerate that way. I think these girls were swallowing them by the handfuls!

This is a hugely popular item: a dollhouse/bookcase. Can you tell that it had already been decorated for Christmas?

My family has always loved Cabbage Patch Dolls. My 94-year-old great-aunt used to stand in line to get them when they first came out in the early 80s. I took the kids to tour Babyland General last year in December. I had a request last week to please go again soon.

This is my 15-year-old son. Doesn't he look half asleep (he is)? This is a really neat chess, checkers, backgammon set. I was just happy that he wanted a chess set for Christmas. All of my boys play, but I'm embarrassed to say that I never learned how. I just assume it will take a lot of time, so I never get around to it. I've been told that I have to learn, though.

We played a big game of Monopoly with this new set on Christmas night. For those of you with only younger kids, be prepared that one day your children will arise up and whip your rear at Monopoly (just a little something to look forward to).