Christmas Day 2015

Christmas eve we told the girls that we would not be getting out of bed until 7ish so don't bother getting us up early because it wasn't going to happen!  Now we tell them this stuff every year and they NEVER listen so when I rolled over and realized it was 6:45 and the house was still quiet and there weren't any little feet next to mine cuddling with me, I was a bit sad!  Kayla was in her room quietly reading and Brooklyn was in her room looking at a book waiting quietly for her big sister to give her the okay to wake up mom and dad.   All the while I'm wondering what in the world is going on.....no one ever listens to mom!  Finally around seven they stormed in and jumped on the bed begging for us to get up.   We had some fun and made them sing a few Christmas songs to us so we could get the energy to wake up.

We finally got up, got our coffee and checked out what Santa had brought for the girls all the while they were patiently waiting with anticipation down the hall!!!  There were squeels and screams when I walked out and made sure to let them know they got some amazing things this year.  We finally let them loose and they came sprinting down the hall....

They were so excited to see what Santa had left, even I was excited to see the American Girl dolls.  We are looking forward to taking the girls to the American Girl store very soon!

Kayla found the letter Santa had left and read it to all of us

Below, is her reaction to the P.S. part where Santa mentioned he knew he was on video!  I had shared my idea to set up my camera and try and record Santa the day before, Kayla was a bit worried that Santa would get mad and leave without giving them presents but I assured them he wouldn't even know and it would be so neat to get him on video.  Both of the girls didn't think it would happen so we were all surprised when Kayla read that part of the letter.  I ran and grabbed the camera and we watched it in surprise.  They were so excited to see him in our home!!

Santa also stated in his letter that he had stopped by Bearizona and picked up some more rabbit feet for the girls.  Brooklyn's souvenir from our trip had unfortunately gotten eaten by our dog and she was so upset that I told her maybe Santa could find another one for her but instead he brought them five more all in different colors.

After playing with their toys and dressing their new dolls from Santa they were finally ready to check out their stockings

They spent so much time in here, Kayla sketching her doll, Brooklyn began drawing....we had to remind them they still had a few presents under the tree to unwrap

Santa did a great job of filling my stocking and that pillow cover is perfection!

The girls school hosts a little store each year where the kids can purchase gifts for up to $7 an item and Kayla really looks forward to this and it's so fun to see what she buys for us.  I usually give her money but this year she insisted on using all her own.  She purchased this cute snowman for Brooklyn, which she has slept with everynight since, she bought daddy a small flashlight and I got some soap and lotion.  She was so excited telling me how what she picked for me was so perfect which makes it all that much better for me!!  

More fun gifts from sweet family members!

Thank you Aunt Yolanda for the money, they loved finding some cash in their present!

Brooklyn had gotten a caboodle for her birthday and Kayla had been wanting one ever since.  She was very happy to receive her own, which is now full of  whatever beauty products an 8 year old girl would need.

On to the big gift from mommy and daddy.

I double wrapped this one just to make it that much better!

Their reactions were priceless! 

Each of them received their very own tablet and have enjoyed playing games, watching shows and reading on ever since

Gifts the girls made for us at school.  

The snowman handprint above is from Brooklyn, which matches the one Kayla also made for me when she was in Kindergarten and below is the adorable paintbrush Santa that Kayla made for us.

This is the part I want to remember on this day, with all the mess around us everyone was happy and life was content at this moment.

Unfortunately soon after this picture was taken I received the call from my dad that my aunt had been admitted into the hospital, was in a coma and it was not looking good.  My mom and grandparents were on their way to be with her and wanted to come to join us on Christmas day later but of course there was no guarantee.  

My aunt was diagnosed with Stage four lung cancer almost four years ago and although she was only given around 8 months to live she had made it so much longer than any of us could have imagined!  The cancer had recently spread all over and it was not looking good, she really wanted to come to Christmas day and I know she knew this would be her last.  Wednesday my uncle had called to tell me that unfortunately they would not be able to make it, she just wasn't doing too well.  We were all a bit sad but never did it cross my mind that she would go so quickly.  She passed away later in the evening on Christmas day and I know she just hated the fact that this was happening on Christmas day.  She often told me how much she loved watching the girls together and that they were great sisters.  I knew no matter how sad I was that the day had to carry on for them so on it went, the best it could.

This was the first Christmas that didn't feel like Christmas and it was so hard to realize that Christmas is in fact just another day, a day that even bad things can happen on, not just a day filled with magic that I for so long always believed in.  

I missed not having my mom, grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousin with us on this day and my poor brother, sister in law and nephew were all home with a stomach bug.  Our Christmas day that was supposed to be filled with a house full of family, with crazy cousins running a muck, loud laughter and glasses clinking was instead small, quieter and filled with hidden tears.  That is definitely not the part that I want to remember about this Christmas, so I will try my best to erase the sadness and instead remember the smiles and happiness my girls brought on this day and hold onto the fact that I luckily still have future Christmas' to enjoy with family and fill with Christmas magic.