Speaking of PicturesThat I Love

Christmas Day, For Lack of a Battle Title

Oh good.  Normal looking, happy children

 Smiles all around.

 And the award for the best gift of the year goes to the "Elsa Dress"

 And the American Girl Doll.  Sigh.  Whoever dreamed up American girl dolls is a genius.  A very wealthy genius.

 I'll file these last two pictures under "pictures that I love"

 So thankful this Christmas to have my Dad back to his old self.  This one is a keeper.

Jones Family Christmas

Sometimes, you just have to pick back up where you left off and I believe I left off at Christmas.  The longer that I am a parent I am becoming more convinced that Christmas is probably much more fun for the parents than it is for the kiddos.  Don't get me wrong, they loved it.  Watching pure happiness is a whole different experience.  I spent most of the morning fighting back the ugly cry because I remember exactly how they feel.  I remember what it felt like to not be able to sleep on Christmas Eve, then waiting and waiting for my Mom to be ready to open the gifts, and then always starting with our stockings.
I thought we would start with the perfect family photo.

 Then we could open stockings.  I'm pretty sure Mags was happy at this point, I don't know why she looks so sad in this picture.

 Little boy loved that train.  He held on to it all morning.  Then we lost it and have not seen it since.  Perfect.

He loves balls.  Boys are so different than girls.  It's a delightful change.

 Grandma's goodies, which she wears almost every  day now.  I have to stop her on days when everything she has on has stripes!

 This is my trying not to cry face.  I'm not sure why I am putting it on the internet for all to see.

 Magzie's sweet little face opening some gifts picked especially for her because we knew they would make her feel special.

 Libs asked for this doll everyday leading up to Christmas, I won't talk about the doll that Babette got her that completely overshadowed the doll that she wanted so badly.

 Coops big boy gift.

 This is her happy face.  I love that face :)