a merry white christmas morning

We packed a lot into our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations!  We started out the festivities with a Christmas Eve Brunch with Jody's parents and Grandmother.  We enjoyed a Guest Room Strata [a bacon, sausage, egg and cheese casserole] and my version of TPW's cinnamon rolls [I used this recipe for the rolls and the icing recipe from this one]...



After our delicious & delightful brunch, the kids dove into the presents...



Owen was really into opening his presents this year...



It was precious to see the pure joy in his face after opening one.

The kids enjoyed all their new toys the rest of the afternoon while Jody and I got organized for Christmas Eve Dinner.

After a wonderful service at church, we enjoyed a fabulous meal with our families...



We had Standing Rib Roast [using this recipe], Mac & Cheese [using this recipe], Corn Pudding [using his recipe], Green Bean Bundles, Candied Carrots [using this recipe] and Strawberry Pretzel Salad.

After stuffing ourselves with dinner, we all managed to find a little room for dessert...



We had a wide variety...Red Velvet Cupcakes, Carmel Cake and Banana Pudding.

About 9:00, we were all sitting around enjoying our family time when we heard some bells off in the distance.  Could they be from his sleigh?



Banks and Mary Reese thought so.  They said their good-byes to Dasher Minty...



...and bolted to their beds with lightening speed [Owen had already been sugged in his bed for over an hour] and we didn't hear from them until 5:00 am.

Banks ran into our room [with Mary Reese in tow] announcing that Santa indeed came and that it was snowing outside.  Jody and I told them that had to wait until Owen was up [and dismissed the whole snow comment].  Owen stirred about 45 minutes later and it was non-stop for the rest of the day...



They were all excited they stayed on the Nice List long enough for Santa to drop off some surprises!

Mary Reese was thrilled to spot a note from Santa.  It said that Rudolph loved his carrot and that the Red Velvet Cupcakes she left were his favorite...



[She fixed him a plate and a glass of milk all by herself.]  He even took a cupcake back to Mrs. Claus!

Owen was so excited to see more wrapped gifts to dig into.




It didn't take them long to figure out whose stack was whose...



The big gift of the morning was the iPad for the family to share.  Banks and Mary Reese were excited about their new Wii and DS games.  Owen was so excited when he unwrapped some Vroom Vrooms...



He could wait to get his little hands on them...



While the wrapping paper was flying, this was falling...



This was taken from our front door at 7:00 am on Christmas Morning.

While the kids played with all their new prizes, the snow continued to fall.  By 8:00 am our house looked like this...



The kids walked outside to check it out...



...and to throw a few snowballs...



We weren't really dressed appropriately, so we quickly headed inside to thaw out.

We soon realized that we were in for more than a "dusting"!  By 9:30 am, our front yard looked like a winter wonderland...



We bundled up and headed out for round 2...



We rolled down the hill...



..,made a beautiful snow angel...





...threw some more snowballs...



...and made a baby snowman...



We looked on the roof and discovered...



...what we think may have been tracks from Santa's sleigh!  We also found 2 bells in the yard [and another one once the snow melted].

We played as long as our fingers and toes would allow!  It was so much fun to watch them play in the snow on Christmas Morning!  I am not sure we will ever have another one as magical!