Life with the Lanzes: Christmas Highlights

It was a wonderful Christmas Day...well, maybe except for the fact that the girls decided it would be fun to wake up at 5am. They must have coordinated it! After a little coffee for the parents, we hunted for the pickle on the tree (whoever finds it, gets to open the first present) and opened presents.

Cora loved the chair she got from Santa...she didn't even need all the wrapping paper off before she made herself comfortable.

What's better then opening presents??? Climbing on them!

Addy really wanted a bike for Christmas. When Santa called her on the phone (thanks, Tommy Gentile!), that's all she asked for. In his thank you note to the girls for the treats they left out (this year, in addition to the cookies for Santa and carrots for reindeer, we also had sun chips! Not sure if Santa preferred those or the bagel with cream cheese from last year), he also told Addy to open her present from him last.

So when it came down to the last present, it was in Santa paper with Addy's name on it. But it was just a small box. And Addy was nearly in tears before even opening it, saying, but I was hoping Santa would give me a bike. Reluctantly she opened the present to discover another note from Santa saying her gift was too big to come down the chimney or leave under the tree and so he brought it in the side door and left it in the basement. We all went running. And Santa didn't disappoint :)

We also celebrated Christmas with lots of good food and presents with lots of other family members at various points over the holiday season. Here are a few more of those highlights:

Cora LOVED the musical snowmen at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Uncle Sean helping Cora open a present. Cora really loved wrapping paper. She was notorious for just grabbing presents and opening them, regardless of whether they were for her. She just wanted the paper.

Addy watching proudly as grandparents and uncles opened the gifts she made them - paper stars with pasta glued to them, spray painted silver, and made into a frame around her and Cora's picture.