So much for posting again before Christmas!

The Christmas tree and decorations are all gone (hmmm, except outside), and my home is feeling ready for some serious deep cleaning and organization. But before I get to that (way before), I wanted to share just a few Christmas pictures. We had a wonderful, low-key Christmas. We missed family who couldn't make it for various reasons, but besides that, everything was perfect.

(Except, why do I stress out making homemade cinnamon rolls every Christmas eve to be ready for Christmas morning, when my kids barely touch them? What in the world is wrong with those kids, anyway?!?)

I got all crafty pre-Christmas ... I made a runner and some banners that matched the lime green we already have downstairs...

(You'll have to forgive the quality of some of these pictures... the ones I take from my phone do not turn out very well.)

...and matching pillows:

Christmas morning, Cal was the first to wake up. I was worried that the kids would wake up before Jay got home from work and that I would have to try to contain them upstairs, but luckily we were all still sleeping when he got home. Ok, not all of us. I was too excited to sleep!

Cal got an early start on his stocking... too bad the item he's excitedly pointing at was actually for Dexter.

Dexter, checking the stocking toe:

I opened my stocking to find ...

...Mr. Pricklepants!! He now holds a place of honor on my desk, right next to my Dwight Bobblehead.

Bea and Natalie finally woke up ... well, Natalie did at least. :)

The highlights of the morning were watching the the kids open their main presents, the ones I've been excited to watch them open for months:

Buzz Lightyear's for the boys:

(even Bea was excited!)

And American Girl dolls for the girls:

Natalie with "Julie," the doll from 1974

Bea with "Molly," the doll from 1944.

The girls have been saving money to buy the dolls themselves, so they were pretty excited when they opened the joint present from Papa, Grandma, and us. I have to say, I was pretty excited, too. The dolls are adorable, and I have been caught brushing their hair a time or two, encouraging the girls to dress them in this outfit or that one. :) I guess some things bring out the kid in me. (And whenever Jay gives me a hard time, I just point to the Wii....)

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and a very happy New Year. I won't even bother posting about our New Year's celebration, because there was none. I was asleep by 10:00! I guess that's what happens when you're approaching *gulp* 35.