The Days Before Christmas

Our December has been busy, but the days leading up to Christmas were increasingly filled with excitement...and presents! The first presents were from Ariel (a.k.a. Imp), and can be seen in the following pictures (look for bracelets on Allie and a sparkly ball in Ryan's hand) on Thursday. So thrilled were they with these tokens of love that we could have ended the present giving there!

I managed to finish the twins' reindeer shirts before Christmas Eve! Remember them from last year?

It was a little sad to see how much my babies have grown in one short year.
It was also amazing how much more difficult it was to get a decent picture of both of them in the shirts than to actually make the shirts themselves!

On Christmas Eve they saw both sets of Grandparents and every one of their aunts & uncles (at various times)!! They also received a few...or a lot...more gifts!
Initially, they weren't sure about the unwrapping thing - and found the boxes more interested as chairs...

...or stages.

But we finally managed to get them to open their presents! The big ones being a garage & cars for Ryan!

And a doll house for Allie!

both presents have been HUGE hits, and they love playing with them.

Other presents included a basketball hoop and homemade doll from Aunt Darleen, clothes, books, puzzles...

...and polar bear sleds!!!

Every single present was such a hit that the next morning they played with what they had until we were ready to start in on the presents under the tree!

We finished up the evening at our church's Christmas Eve service (during which Ryan tried to out preach daddy, causing us to leave early...), and Christmas with Lucas' side (stay tuned for pictures of the most amazing presents we received!).