Merry Christmas!

Every year on Christmas Eve, the girls sleep together in the same room- usually in the same bed. I'm not sure who started this one, but it definitely didn't come from me or Brent. On the one hand, it ensures no one gets to sneak down before the others to peak at Christmas surprises, and on the other, they have each other should someone get up really early and are having a hard time waiting. This year the girls decided to make a fort and sleep in that. The materials for the fort itself were actually a Christmas gift from a few years ago! We have used that fort kit over and over. 

Once breakfast was ready, Brent rang the bell and they descended the stairs in various states of anticipation and excitement. Then it was time for the traditional family photo:

Apparently the garland is getting old because a string of lights went out... I meant to replace it but there was never enough time! Now it's the first thing I see in this picture. Grrr...

The topic of kids who are ungrateful for their Christmas presents came up at dinner one night and somehow that led to watching YouTube videos. This one was particularly memorable:

And the girls vowed to be grateful for whatever they received, even if it was just a potato. 

Sydney typically drags her feet at mealtime; once in a blue moon does she finish a meal quickly without any fuss. Christmas is one of those times but for some reason this year, she sat in front of her plate and pouted. Usually Brent or I have to cajole her but this time her sisters were making airplanes and encouraging her and reminding her of all the presents that were waiting. At looong last, everyone had eaten a decent breakfast and Christmas could truly begin. The Pringles tradition remains strong in this family.

Brigitta is right smack dab in the middle of American Girl mania. Ireland was ecstatic about her Harry Potter stuff and her Sphero so she can work on programming. 

No matter how much I plan and budget and with my extra paycheck this year- indulge on gifts, it's always the 5 Below gifts that are so touching. 

Brigitta was so excited to give me my gift- this sleep mask- which I have to say is incredibly apropos. 

She used the exact same wrapping paper and after she had wrapped a present for Liesel (including writing Liesel is the Best all over it), she realized it was actually her gift for Sydney. Even so, little things like a small diary and a pack of gum mean so much to these girls. Sisterly love comes and goes in this house, but it's in strong force on Christmas morning. 

Liesel has been begging for a phone for quite some time. We've had a watch that can call a handful of numbers but Liesel was really feeling left out. There were a lot of hard discussions- Brent and I are strongly against kids having a smartphone. Liesel is ADD and we would be doing her no favors by handing her the world's most distracting device. Study after study has linked smartphones to depression and anxiety in tweens and teens. Absolutely not, no smartphone. However, we felt it was time for her to have a simple flip phone. She could text, take photos, and call but nothing else. I thought it would be so clever to tell her she had one more gift that she had to find and then call it so she had to follow the sound of the ringing. However, I stupidly put it behind the nativity so as she was shoving aside wise men and knocking down Mary, I realized perhaps that wasn't my best laid plan. Also, I was in such a rush to get her phone charged and set up so I could call, I accidentally opted for Spanish, so it ended up taking me even longer. My Spanish is definitely not what it used to be!

Every year we buy a new movie for the girls to enjoy but this year Brent decided to get the whole Harry Potter series since our dvd's were getting scratched from so much use. The girls had the entire day to enjoy a world of fantasy and adventure. 

Another Christmas is in the books!