2017 Christmas Day

Santa was pretty good to the girls this year. 

They were awake before us, which is not usually the case. Kara came out of her room because she kept hearing a bell tinkling. She found the bell attached to a kitten running around the hallway. She woke Kiersten and Evie and they sat playing with her in Kiersten's room until Ben and I heard them happily whispering and got up too. The kitty's tag said Kiersten, and the others were momentarily disappointed. They soon realized that it's just as much fun to play with her regardless of who she belongs to. Kiersten decided to name her Jingles. I would have liked to help her think of some cute name ideas, but who am I to tell her what to name her pet? I think she's our first pet to not be named after some type of food. Good thing, I don't know if I could handle a cat named oreo or cupcake, haha. 

They were pretty happy to have a new friend join them for their Christmas morning train down the stairs. 

Jingles headed straight for her castle for some feisty fun.

It didn't take Kara and Evie 2 seconds to be just as happy about their gifts as they were about Kiersten's. 

After breakfast we let them open all of the gifts under the tree. 

Evie was as happy with the doll we gave her as she was with the Shopkins Supermall she'd asked Santa for. 

The kitten was a bit of a distraction during the gift opening. 

The girls were all very thoughtful about the gifts they gave each other this year. 

I casually mentioned to Kara that I didn't think any of the items on her Amazon wish list had been purchased. So she was pretty surprised to get some of her most coveted items from Evie and Kiersten. I really don't know why she ever believes anything I say...

Evie got a few new animal ear headbands. She tried everything on as soon as she opened it, and switched them up all day. 

I was pretty curious what Ben and the girls got for me. I usually have a good idea, if not actually knowing exactly what I'm getting. So it was fun to be in suspense for a few weeks. 

It turned out to be a Roomba! I've gotten tons of use out of it already. One of my favorite gifts of all time. 

I told Kara to wrap one of Ben's gifts from the girls, and we all laughed when he opened it. She hadn't even removed it from the mailing envelope. 

He has a few months to dream of using his new Chiefs float. This was a gift Evie and Kiersten really wanted to find for him. They originally wanted one shaped like Joe Montana, but such a thing does not exist as far as I can tell. So they went with a ring in the end.

There has been a lot of video gaming happening here since Kara got a Nintendo Switch from Santa. 

Kiersten got a bunch of Dragon Ball Z gear from her cousin, and loved parading around in it in front of a jealous Kara. 

That kitty's paws barely touched the floor for at least a week. 

It's fun to have one that is still solidly in the "toy phase". Love her!

Kara wanted a lot of big kid stuff, and I guess that's what she should want, but, oy!

I forgot to take the girls shopping for Christmas dresses since we went out of town for Thanksgiving. So a few days before Christmas I was in a mad rush around town checking every store for nice dresses. I finally had to give in and go to the mall, but found some pretty dresses that they would all like. So I decided to wrap them up as gifts so the girls would be surprised on Christmas day.

*Someone* is always trying to steal the show. 

Ben made us a fabulous Christmas dinner this year instead of a Christmas Eve dinner like we usually do. Everything was tasty and beautiful. 

After dinner we decorated a little village of gingerbread houses. The girls complained that it didn't taste as good as the homemade gingerbread cookies we made. 

Our fabulous architectural masterpieces. I couldn't be more proud. 

I spotted the cat sleeping next to Kiersten and couldn't resist getting a picture. She didn't believe me that the cat had slept by her until I showed her. 

Evie was excited to go to bed in her new pj's from Grandpa and Grandma Boot. They matched perfectly with her new headband from Katie. 

Kiersten got pj's that said "Get your Jingle on", which she thought was amazing, as she'd named the kitten Jingles. She asked if Grandpa and Grandma are psychic.