Merry Christmas!

I love this time of year! I went running on Saturday (in a shorts and a tank top - thank you Houston weather) and saw lots of extended families playing outside ... football, catch, walking, at the playground, grandparents chasing grandkids, etc. It was all pretty sweet to watch -- so much so that it sort of felt like watching a movie where this stuff is scripted.

The weather turned just in time to have a cool Christmas. I put away the shorts and tank top and out came the sweat pants and sweat shirt for Sundays and Mondays workouts. The cool weather was just what I needed to really get into the Christmas spirit. Although a very excited 3 year old is a sure way to stay in the Christmas spirit throughout the month of December, what with the reading of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and A Christmas Story every night, the constant singing of Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Rudolph and other Christmas tunes.

Christmas Eve Doug's parents came over and we did our present exchange with them, as we do every year, and then we left milk, cookies and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer after reading Twas the Night Before Christmas in front of the fire place. Andrew and Daddy also made a birthday cake for baby Jesus. Andrew was exhausted but like every other child across the globe he was too excited and wound up to go to bed. It probably had something to do with all of the amazing new toys Andrew had already opened from Mom Mom, Peepaw and other extended family members and friends who had so thoughtfully sent gifts for the boys. :) Mommy and Daddy got quite the loot too!

Christmas morning we all awoke to find that Santa had visited the Moore house! Santa brought Andrew a Tonka truck and Spiderman action figure, among other goodies and Tyler got a turtle for the bath, Jungle Book on DVD and much more! Clearly, I have two very good little boys! After opening our Santa gifts we had cinnamon rolls with orange icing and then we headed to my parents house for even more presents! Andrew continued as the designated present opener as we exchanged presents with my parents and then had a huge Christmas lunch of ham and all of the fixings. After lunch we played the Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? Board Game that I had given my parents for Christmas while Tyler napped and Andrew played with some of his new toys. Douglas won $1,000,000 and did not have to say the dreaded, "I am not smarter than a 5th grader" - smarty pants! We (myself and Doug included) got some fantastic goodies from my parents.

After the board game we came home so Andrew could take a nap before heading back out to see Doug's parents so that the boys could get even more presents! It was a full day, but it was wonderful to spend some quality time with our families, especially Pop Pop (Doug's grandpa) who came to Houston to spend some time with the boys.

As Santa would say, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!