Merry Christmas 2009

It was a good Christmas even though Jaemin remained sick through most of it.  He's still sick today.  He was actually better for Christmas Day and then late last night his temp came back.  I took him to the doctor today and they said it was just a really bad sinus infection ( 103 degree temp).  So he's on round 2 of antibiotics and she gave him a nose spray so he can breath.  He's not struggling with his lungs, so no neb or anything thank goodness!  But, my boy still enjoyed his first Christmas.

Christmas Eve was a little weird.  Since little man was still running a decent temp I insisted Brian and the other 4 go to his grandparents as planned.  They made a short trip there and came back a couple of hours later.  Jaemin and I ran to Wendy's for Christmas Eve dinner and I just held him; which is pretty much all I had done for the past 3 days.  Santa came while we went to Wendy's, so when Brian and the kids got home we had presents to open.

The boys came upstairs and Cole stood there and stared at Santa's gifts he'd left.  See, at our house, Santa doesn't wrap.  He just leaves them in birth order with name tags on each item.  I asked Cole what was wrong and he said he just couldn't believe it.  I asked what.  He said  he couldn't believe Santa really brought Guitar Hero and one for each of them....the two big boys.  The big boys also each got a game; dominoes and a little dice game.  They also each got a watch.  The girls each got an MP3 player, in pink of course.  Kaelin also got a card game and a watch.  Chelsi also got a card game.  The 3 older ones found silly string in their stockings to play with this summer.  Jaemin got 2 books, a stacking toy and a mega block truck.  The kids LOVED their Santa gifts.  Chelsi's MP3 player had Toes and Chicken Fry already loaded.  Her two favorite songs, so she really thought Santa "knows" her.

Mom and dad gave Cole a KU hat and Bass Pro card, Chase got mom's old camera and a football, Kaelin got zubber, Chelsi got a microphone, Little Pony and Little Pony movie and Jaemin got a baby baseball and tee.  The kids were in absolute Heaven with their loot.  Really it was the least expensive Christmas ever since grandma found the Guitar Heroes at Sam's for under $20 including the guitars and games and MP3s were under $20 too.  We may have spent $60 on the most expensive child.  Thank goodness our children are pretty simple.  I realize just how simple after hearing one of the nephews brag, at age 8, about getting a plasma tv in his room for Christmas.

But, this is not where our kids' Christmas ended.  They stayed up until 10:00 just playing with all their new things on Christmas Eve.  Could hardly get them in bed that night.  Then, on Christmas Day Jaemin's fever was gone so we went to the grandparents for breakfast.  All together, everywhere else, Cole got a RC plane, MP3 speakers, Walmart gift card, hoodie, PS2 game, hat, gloves and thermal shirt, Chase got a RC helicopter, 2 sets of magnetix, PS2 game, hat, gloves, thermal shirt, 2 hoodies, a journal and a Bass Pro card, Kaelin got so much cute clothes it was unreal, snow boots, rings and necklace, Chelsi got a RC car, robe, travel aqua doodle, Strawberry Shortcake backpack, puzzle, Barbie, baby pony, I Spy sort of game, monkey rainboots, a wagon and Christmas ornament,  Jaemin got grandpa's handcrafted toybox, fridge farm toys, a wooden puzzle, a play camera, truck, a wagon and money for his savings account.  All 5 kids got Cardinals shirts as requested.  We went to grandmas for dinner on Christmas Day with the whole family.  Yummy food and the kids played hard!  I think they're all pretty worn out, but they all have so much to do now, it almost seems they don't know where to start.

I think our favorite (mom and dad) gifts were the Bass Pro card and Kohls cards.  It's nice to feel like we can spend money on ourselves.  We generally don't.  Brian even saved his aluminum money and bought me a $50 Kohls card just for me.  It was really sweet considering we had put a $20 limit on what we were to buy each other.  He got me some headphones for my new MP3 player (from mother in law) and I got him MP3 speakers for his old MP3 player so he could listen at work.   One of my favorites are the new kitchen rags we got.  I was so tired of looking at the holy rags I had that were unraveling. And my new digital picture frame  LOVE IT!

I'm so thankful for my kids.  We may not have a lot of money to spend, but we have happy healthy kids that love their Christmas's no matter what.  They always think they're the best and I'm glad to have those kinds of kids.

The wagon for the littles, from grandpa



Playstation game, hats, gloves and thermals for the big boys from grandpa.









Chelsi had to use her new doctor's kit on daddy.



Jaemin found his belly, which was very full.



Going through sissy's backpack.



Jaemin and cousin A, eating monster cookies.