Christmas Morning

8 AM Christmas morning found our door creaking open and Ashley crawling into bed with us for morning time cuddles. She had been waiting so patiently. She woke up at 3 AM, then again at 4, and finally at 7. She confessed to having snuck in to look at the tree and presents before coming in, but she swore she didn't touch anything. It amazes me that a 16 year old girl is still so excited about Santa and Christmas that she can't sleep. Possibly this stems from the fact that the last 2 years we have boycotted Santa and an elaborate Christmas.

Santa apparently did not appreciate the fact that we had not set up the tree or done anything nice with the living room, because when we walked into the living room, it was all done for us. All the presents were laid under the lighted Christmas ficus.

Ashley's Santa gifts were nicely laid also, and she must have been VERY good this year because there were two of them. Stephen and I must have been very bad, because we didn't get any from Santa at all. We have decided to write a letter of complaint.

Stephen must have been right when he said he had an in with Santa, and that he wanted Pringles and beer this year, because all that was left was crumbs. At least he put the bottle on a coaster.

This is a screen shot of the Santa-tracking site we used this year. It was how we knew when we had to get to bed, and we must confess that, while Ashley was in bed and asleep in plenty of time, Stephen and I waited until Santa was in North Africa before we slipped into bed. Maybe that's why we didn't get presents from him.

Ashley opening her presents. This one was a book from Santa. She ended up with quite a few books, some DVD's and a new screen for her iPod, plus a chamomile/lavender scented heatable fuzzy duck (amongst many other things.) She has expressed her happiness and is currently begging Stephen to install the new screen while her nose is stuck in one of those new books and the duck is stuck to her chest.

Stephen had the fewest presents (2) but they were dense. And it might have been a good thing, because he really is delightful when he opens presents. It takes at least 10 minutes, and involves examination and observation of detail, coming to a hypothesis and testing it before he actually opens the gift. He walked away with 5 new games and a new case for his Nintendo DS. He is now happily ignoring Ashley's pleas for her repaired iPod by burying his nose in the new games.

After having opened an incredibly beautiful and massively heavy granite mortar and pestle, Ashley couldn't bear the excitement about this gift for me any longer. Being birthed from the wrapping is a giraffe. I was informed that his name is Jonah and he is a hot water bottle cover. He is lovely and intends to torment Girard and Jo-Jo with the fact that he gets more of my cuddles than they do. He doesn't have much of a giraffe neck, though, so I suspect that the balance is maintained.

Jonah and I wishing you a happy Christmas!

Handsome Stephen looking forward to breakfast.

Ashley and her duck, whom she has named Droopey (for now at least.)

Breakfast was French toast made with seeded multi-grain bread and syrup. Dinner is on the stove and the turkey is roasting in the crock-pot. I'll post pictures and the further story later today. Right now the extended version of Lord of the Rings calls to me with its irresistible siren song.