Christmas Moring.

I would have to say this year was the best Christmas ever! It was nearly perfect!! Eleanor has been so cute this season. We have listened to to Christmas music all day-everyday since the day after Thanksgiving and she now knows them all! Her favorite is Rudolph and Santa Clause is Coming to Town. Along with Christmas music, we have been watching all our favorite Christmas movies. Eleanor's favorite is The Christmas Story. She now has it memorized and like to play the Christmas Story. She makes me be the teacher and she plays Ralphie. She also goes around the house singing, "You'll shoot your eye out". Of course I had to introduce her to White Christmas and I'm so thrilled so loves the Sisters song just as much as I did when I was younger. Again, she has learned the words to that song and loves signing it all around the house.

Poor John had to work a ton this month. Most nights he did not get home before 10pm. I felt bad for him! I told him next year he has to take off the week before Christmas, no questions asked! He worked so much that we didn't even get to see the lights at Temple Square! He did make it home a few nights in time to do a quick drive to look at Christmas lights. (Another favorite from my childhood). Of course, John did a great job this year with the our Christmas lights. He seriously loves decking the house all out! Every year he adds just a little more. Pretty soon our house is going to look like the Griswolds!

Christmas morning could have been better! Eleanor came stumbling into our room right at 5am!! John wasn't too excited about her early arrival but I was (truth is I was already up and seriously contemplating going in and waking her myself!).

We had Eleanor open her stocking first and she was thrilled with her new underwear, bag of Cheetos and her bubble bath. I don't think she cared for all the other fun treasures. The first present she grabbed from under the Christmas tree just happened to be her most anticipated gift, a Zhu Zhu pet. When is saw what was inside she yelled, "A Zhu Zhu pet, just wanted I wanted my WHOLE life!". It was pretty entertaining watching the excitement with each gifts. I saved her other highly anticipated gift for last, a talking doll. She was beyond excited that Santa's elves were able to make her all her toys. Just for the record, here is a list off all Eleanor's favorite gifts:
Zhu Zhu pet
Talking doll
Hannah Montana Wig
Ellafun
Hungry Hungry Hippo
Tent, clubhouse and tunnel set
Makeup
Jewelry box with ballerina
Purse
Snow White
Peter Pan

Santa was pretty good to Amelia as well. He filled her stocking full of clothes and a few toys.

Once all the presents were unwrapped, we made our traditional Christmas morning casserole. It was so nice to just hang out together as a family all day listening to Christmas music and playing with all the new toys. I tell you, it really was the BEST Christmas ever!!