The Howell Family: Christmas Day

I heard the kids announce "We are awake!" at 8:00 Christmas morning. I went upstairs to check on them, and found that only some of them were awake. I told them to watch TV for a bit and wait till everyone was awake.

I went back downstairs and enjoyed 5 more minutes in my warm bed, before they announced again, "We are ALL awake!" I went up to check on them, and found Savannah still asleep. I told them to wait a few more minutes till Kate (in her crib in her room) woke up too. I went downstairs and started taking pictures of everything Santa had brought in the night.

A long board for Savannah. And each kid got a hand held touch screen Kurio tablet (designed for kids, with lots of parental controls).

A new compound miter saw for Scott.

New bar stools for me and a new power head for the vacuum.

A new bike for Josh and a Kurio tablet.

A telescope, nerf gun, and Kurio for Aaron.

Art supplies and Kurio for Sara.

A new wagon for Kate.

3D sidewalk chalk, Kurio, and the bulldozer that he saw at the store for Owen.

A scooter and Kurio for Nate.

And Santa brought this excavator to Nate and Owen. When the weather gets nice this spring, it will go out to the sandbox (also something that Owen saw at the store and added to his list for Santa).

After I'd taken pictures (before the madness of kids coming down hit), I started to hear Kate over the monitor, so I headed upstairs to get all the kids. Savannah was still asleep under the window, but we forced her to wake up. And I got Kate up out of her crib.

Then I made them all pose at the top of the stairs for our traditional Christmas morning picture.

And then I let them come downstairs to discover their gifts. It was so fun to see the joy on the kids' faces as they discovered their presents.

Kate climbed right in her wagon, and sat there through it all, munching on candy from her stocking.

Owen was so excited about his excavator.

The Kurio tablets were a huge hit with all the kids!

Only a mom could be excited to be given a vacuum for Christmas.

Of course, it wouldn't be normal if we didn't have a few tantrums mixed in with the fun.

Kate wasn't the only one who loved her wagon.

When the excitement of the Santa gifts finally died down, we turned to the presents under the tree. I tried to hand them out in an orderly fashion, but after about one present being opened, it turned into a free for all, and everyone just started opening.

The girls got matching skirts (and wore them to church the next Sunday). I love that these two have each other.

Aaron got a remote controlled car from Grandma and Grandpa.

Josh's blanket was getting a bit small for him, so he got a new bigger blanket.

Savannah got an electric razor, with permission to start shaving her legs. She's growing up too fast.

Nate's favorite gift, was a fart gun from Josh. Yes, it's a gun that makes fart noises when you pull the trigger. It's pretty awesome.

Sara got squishy sand from Grandma Sorensen.

Savannah used her own money to buy Kate a doll. Kate was so excited when she opened it.

Kate also got a doll stroller, and she spent the rest of the day pushing her dolly around in the stroller.

Aaron used to have a smaller version of this stuffed animal, which he had named Lovey. He loved that stuffed animal so much, but somewhere along the way, it had gotten lost. Nate bought him a new, bigger Lovey, and Aaron was overjoyed when he opened it.

Savannah recruited Scott to help her build my present. She made a frame, then glued netting to the back, to create an earring holder. She was so excited for me to open it.