Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

This is our advent calendar from Lego that we finished up on Christmas Eve. We've gotten one of these for about 3 years now. I think it's fun to see what new little toy is in the window each day. The kids take turns opening them---J is an even age, and in an even grade (6th), so he opens the evens. B is in 3rd grade and is an odd age, so she opens up the odd numbered days. This year's final present was a little Lego Christmas tree.

We open up one present on Christmas Eve. This was J's present, a mini RoboPanda. B got it for him. B opened up a package from me and Lar---a bag for transporting yarn around while you're working on a project. Each end has a hole for the yarn to come out of. B had thought that was a cool thing when she and I were shopping earlier in the year.

The next one is B and me---she bought me a present at her school Christmas Store. it's a dolphin necklace in a little blue dolphin shaped box! I wore it later in the day. Of course, the only picture of me this day, and I'm in my p.j.s, glasses and no makeup. :-)

This next one is J with the cool shoes I got him. Unfortunately, they didn't seem to fit---off to exchange this week sometime.

This is Lar with the Fergie CD J got him. Lar was the only one who could tell us all the words to the chorus of her song, so we figured he would love it (haha). We did listen to it, though! I like it myself. J also attached a key chain he picked out.

Here is our American Girl. She's a doll!

This is J getting his Panda Express gift card. It's his new favorite restaurant. He also got a gift card to Old Navy for clothes. I hope he can find stuff he likes!

This is B's new American Girl doll, Julie. She's from 1974, and we already have the books about her. This is B's one and only AG doll, and she really is thrilled. This was THE big present I bought for her or anyone else!!

Julie went to the movies with us later that day. We went to see The Water Horse, but changed out minds when we got there and saw National Treasure instead. Movie review to come later!!

This is Lar with is new Kansas City Chiefs T-shirt (okay, my B-i-l Kirk got the exact same one!), and playing a Sudoku game that B picked out for him. B and he really like Sudoku!

This was our dinner, potato soup. This one was without a recipe, but kind of going off a recipe I had used before. A great Crock-Pot meal to simmer all day.

3-4 lbs potatoes, peeled and cubed

half a pound of baby carrots

diced ham
1 small onion, diced

3 tbs margarine

salt

4 cups of water

I let this cook on high for 5.5 hours, while we saw our movie. When I got home, I added a can of evaporated milk and some Velveeta. Once it warmed up again, we ate! It was delicious.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas time!