Christmas at Home

We spent our first Christmas at home this year, just the four of us, and thoroughly enjoyed every special moment of it together!  It was the beginning of a new era, one of blending the old with the new.  After a lovely service at our own church Christmas Eve, we hurried home to eat a delicious meal of chicken kiev & shrimp scampi (an Anderson Tradition).  Followed by the big reveal of Kyle's handmade, labor of love, gift for the girls.  

Anxiously awaiting dinner and Daddy's gift!

Giddy with excitement!

The Big Reveal: A Fairy Tree House! Complete with little wooden furniture, ladder, fireman's pole, spiral staircase, lookout, swing, and basket pull (the fairies were purchased).  It was a HUGE hit, and has been heartily played with ever since. My husband ROCKS! 

The 'Piper Fairy', dressed appropriately in orange, trying out the lookout.

The 'Hadley Fairy', dressed appropriately in purple & wearing blond braids, trying out the swing.

A New Tradition: A Christmas Eve sleepover in Hadley's room!  I think Christmas may have been a bit of a long day for Piper, as Hadley enthusiastically woke her at 5:45 a.m., but they did thankfully stay in their rooms reading books until we came in more than an hour later. 

I always made a beautiful punch ring with my mom for Chrsitmas day, and the girls happily made one with me this year.  Thanks for borrowing us the punch ring, Grandma!

On to the gift opening... apparently a pig flashlight that oinks is hilarious!

Wouldn't be Christmas for Kyle if there wasn't some new camo involved.

And finally, on to the playing! Which we preceded to do the whole day long! It was a wonderful first Christmas at home, and we are already anxious to see which new traditions next year brings!