Here are the pictures from our Christmas Eve celebration with Deb, Bud and Joe Boxer....

After we had some drinks and snacks we enjoyed a salmon dinner with asparagus, smashed potatoes, salad and rolls. The kids had ham, broccoli and applesauce with their rolls. Megan ate a bunch of carrots too while doing bunny impersonations.

I got this cute shot of Joe and the girls with their elves before we started opening gifts.


We started the gift opening with the dogs, since they are the most fun to watch. It also helps to keep them busy with their new toys while we unwrap our in peace.


Rowdy is the unwrapper in our doggy family. Rebel has not caught on to the tearing open of the gifts. Rowdy is an old (13 1/2 years) pro. So he unwraps them then struts around the room with them until Rebel snatches them away. It surprises me that Rowdy still gets excited about gifts and new toys, he was like a puppy again.

This is the cute shirt that Aunt Shann gave Paige.

Every year Bud tries to trick Megan by putting one of her gifts in a strange box. It all started about 3 years ago when he wrapped one of her gifts in a oil case box. When she opened it she cried out "Oh no I got oil". Then the next year we wrapped Bud's gift in a diaper box. This year Megan's gift came in a Christmas light box and Bud's ties were in a gumball machine box and his sweatshirt was in a box that said "Girls Boots".

At the end of the summer Deb and Bud took the girls on a camping-fishing trip. The girls were very impressed with the fun battery powered lanterns that they hung in camp. They were even more thrilled to each receive a set of their own. Next year we will have the coolest camp site ever thanks to Bud and Deb.

No Mike is not going to start holding up mini marts, Bud and Deb got him these liners for under his motorcycle helmet. Bud wears them when he sky dives and says they are great.

I unwrapped my super soft pink suede jacket from Dad and Carole and modeled it for everyone. It's so scrumptious, I adore it!

Mario Kart for the Wii was on the very tip top of both their Christmas list so when they unwrapped their gift from Pop=pop and Mimi they were thrilled!

In the first week of December when our gifts arrived from Dad and Carole I was unpacking them and placing them under our tree. There was an envelope addressed to Mike and I was afraid it might get lost in our tree skirt (a white twin size sheet) so I placed it under the ribbon of one of my gifts. Well when the girls were passing out the gifts they gave the gift in the pretty tissue paper with the fancy gold bow and envelope to Mike (since it had his name on it). I saw it laying on the table and I said I think that package is mine. He said well it has and envelope with my name on it. So I said let's open it up and see what's inside. That is why Mike is posing with my new apron that Carolee made for me. Last year I got her a cool apron book with lots of retro apron patterns in it. I told her "I hope we all get aprons for Christmas next year". So that is the story of my cool retro apron. She even made a little name tag on the inside that says "To Brandi, Love Carolee with the date. SO YES IT IS MY GIFT!

This is the cool shirt that Aunt Shann sent Megan, it's very glittery!

Every year we get the girls new p.j.'s to open on Christmas eve and they always act surprised. This year they both got Snoopy p.j.'s with a love and peace theme.

I love this cute shot of Aunt Deb and Paige together.

Joe was all festive in his jingle bell collar, every time he went to slurp water from his dish it sounded like "Jingle Bells".

Last week the girls and I stopped in at Kohl's to find Mike a shirt. While we were there we found this shirt and we had to get it for Bud, just because it had his name on it and he likes to fish!

Bud is such a good sport he tried on the ties that the girls picked out for him and pose with them too.

Each year I try to get my kids a gift from their Great Grandma, something special that they can keep and treasure and remember her by. This year Great Grandma got them "Wish Pearls". It is a necklace kit that comes with a mollusk in a pull tab can. They had to open the can then make a wish as they opened the mollusk to reveal their pearl. Their is a color chart to tell them what the meaning of their pearl color stands for. Then they put the pearl in a little silver cage that comes with a silver chain. This was a very cool gift and provided us with lots of drama and laughs. I'm pretty sure they will always remember the "wish pearls" from their 93 year old Great Grandma.

Megan's pearl is a soft pink and it stands for Success.

Paige's pearl is white and it stands for Wisdom.

Here the girls are playing their Mario Kart game on the Wii. They look pretty intense, Paige even has the tip of her tongue out like Michael Jordan on the basketball court.

These are the sock monkey slippers that my sister sent me...a classic!