Merry Christmas!

This year, Christmas was so much fun!! Malachi was just hardly crawling last year, so this year he was running around, tearing open gifts, and getting really excited about the new toys and books he received. Christmas Eve is usually a big bash with my Mom's side of the family, but since some of them had to come over the pass, it was just my Grandparents, my parents, my aunt and uncle, and us. It was laid back, less noisy, and the perfect atmosphere for Malachi to learn to open his presents. He hasn't wanted to tear the paper in the past (probably since he gets in trouble for tearing any other type of paper!!) and it was fun to watch him discover what happens when you uncover the gift! Christmas Day afternoon was spent with my in-laws, my parents, and our 2 nieces. We opened presents (for almost 2 hours!! WOW!) and ate a yummy dinner that Samuel prepared. We spent the rest of the day chatting and later watching the Blazer game. I have to say that I love having people come to our house for Christmas...it is a bit more work but I love that Malachi can play with his toys and get a good nap in his own bed! The Christmas Eve bash was postponed until Saturday and we had lots of fun visiting and catching up with family and eating yummy food. Malachi got even more toys, including 2 sets of blocks (a new favorite!) and the Little People Noah's Ark set! I have been wanting this for him for a while so I was really excited when he opened it! I think Little People toys, books, and transportation-themed toys were the thing this year...he got lots of them. My mom is so good at finding them at the Goodwill Outlet where you pay by the pound so she can get these for super cheap since they weigh so little. Malachi loves them!! He has been playing with all of his new toys, especially the turtles and elephants that came with the Ark set. So much fun. I also liked being able to read a children's version of the Christmas story and have a cake and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus. Our nieces are old enough to begin understanding the real meaning of Christmas and it was fun to watch them get into it. Here are some pics of the festivities!

Playing with a doggie that barks music from Great Aunt Debbie and Great Uncle Rod. So fun...he plays with it every day!

Reading a new book with Bobo...

...and Grampy.

He was so excited about this little yellow hummer. It was a stocking present we had him open Christmas morning. Even after all the toys later in the day, he still played with this little one. I guess we made a good choice!

Reading his very own copy of Goodnight Moon with Grampy.

Loves the "air-lane" from Grandpa and Papa.

Riding on the Tonka metal dump trunk we found for him for $4 at the Goodwill Outlet. It was all rusty, but Samuel sanded it really good and repainted it. He loves it! I can't wait for the summer so he can play with it in the dirt.