Christmas

Happy Holidays, Internet!!!

The stage once again set, ready for the Big Reveal. . .

As was the case last year (and every year since our kids were old enough to anticipate gifts on Christmas Morning), this has been a long, long, exhausting day.

I never sleep well the night before Christmas, because I obsess over capturing the 'big reveal' Christmas morning:  filming the kids waking up and seeing the Tree and all the presents, the jaws dropping, the pants-shitting, etc.  While I do always end up documenting this in video and pictures - as was the case this year, too, fortunately - it still requires an earlier-than-necessary alarm-setting and a restless six hours of sleep, thereabouts.

Our kids slept in until about 6:15am this year, which was sleeping in for them.  This gave me time to turn on all the lights, launch an eight-hour, HD video of a roaring fireplace via Youtube on the TV, start my custom-designed Christmas morning playlist via the stereo receiver, and pour myself a cup of coffee.  Not too shabby.

Let's see how this crazy day went down. . .

The crew finally stirs. . .

Checking out 'Santa's' Note and what's left of the cookies they left out for 'him.'

We make the kids tear into their stockings first, which generally gives us enough time to drink a cup of coffee.

Watson enjoys a peanut butter-flavored Nylabone from his stocking.  We're those people.

I'm sure it'd be my ass - er, Santa's ass - if Kris didn't get some of this in her stocking. . .

See how we're slightly out of focus, here?  My standard 18 - 55mm SLR lens decided to stop Auto-Focusing. . . on frickin' Christmas Morning, of all the times to crap out.  Fortunately, I had a back-up 18 - 55 lens from another camera that works just as well, and was able to swap it out painlessly.  Still pissed about the hiccup, though - I'll have to invest in a new lens one of these days. . . 

While Abby had asked Santa for more Star Wars Galactic Heroes toys (which the Big Man was nice enough to deliver), Alayna's been begging everyone for a Project Mc2 Spy Kit (shown here.)  It's from a show she watches on Netflix, where a group of high school girls use science and fashion to solve mysteries, crimes, and what-have-you.  Yes, it's just as ridiculous as it sounds.

Showing off her Spy Kit, which is disguised as a designer purse.

One of the joys of Christmas Morning:  helping kids open and put together all of their ridiculously-intricate toys. . .

Like the last few years, we took the girls out shopping for the other parent with a budget of $5 apiece.  Kris took the girls out to the Mall to buy my gifts this year, which entailed this wooden camera ornament from Target, courtesy of Abby. . .

. . . and I got a bag of my favorite candy, black licorice. . .

. . . and a Chewbacca Christmas ornament from Alayna.  Gotta love kids' gifts.

I had taken the girls to Meijer to buy Kris' gifts, and Abby was set on buying her this decorative wooden angel statue.

Alayna doesn't put as much thought into gift-giving as her sister does (see: Chewbacca ornament), so she just picked up a set of earrings and a necklace she found on clearance.

They also picked out gifts for one another, which we wanted to push so that they learn 'the true meaning of Christmas,' and all that bullshit.  I totally forget what they picked out for each other this year, though.

Decorative throw pillows for their beds (Star Wars for Abby, Shopkins for Alayna - par for the course.)

Kris wanted to buy the girls a couple Instax cameras (think Polaroid), along with matching leather cases and a ton of accessories.  We both thought it'd be a huge hit with the girls. . . aaaaaand, it wasn't.

Abby had seen this hat at a Halloween store we hit up in Saginaw a couple months ago, and upon leaving, when Kris took the girls to the van, I picked it up for her.  She's an easy kid to buy for. 

More Shopkins.  I'm so sick of these damn things.

The Playmobil Pop Stars Stage and Tour Bus sets, which was obviously a big hit since our kids are obsessed with both Playmobil and One Direction.

They got a crap-load of Disney Infinity figures, playsets, and power discs this year:  since Disney decided to discontinue the product line, I was able to buy them at ridiculously low prices this year (where individual figures usually cost $15 in the store, I was able to find Toys R Us or Best Buy deals of Buy 1, Get 4 free - definitely worth stocking up on.)  They pretty much own everything now.

Towards the end of the gift-opening chaos, I had the girls open a combo present that contained a simple cowbell with a note taped to it that read 'Basement', along with a pair of crossed drumsticks.  Here you can see the light bulb go off above Alayna's head, while her sister still looks utterly confused.

Abby didn't really care about this, but she managed to reach the set first (Alayna was super excited.)

Showing her how it's done.

I hadn't played a drum set since April 23rd, 2003, so you can bet your sweet ass I took full advantage of this.  This set pales in comparison with my long-lost Colossus Maximus, so I couldn't really 'open up' on it, but rest assured, dear readers, Yours Truly's still got it.

Following breakfast, we let the kids take over the kitchen table to play with their toys. . .

Setting up the Pop Stars Stage (there's an audio headphone jack in this set so you can plug in your device in order to play shitty pop music. . . like, say, One Direction.)  It lights up, too, which always scores points with little kids.

Like last year, Chris and Nicole came over around 10:30am or so for some mimosas and to give the girls some Christmas presents. . .

Abby wasn't thrilled with some Smarty Pants trivia cards that they picked out for her (the soccer net would end up being a big hit, though)

Nicole was able to find a lab coat in Alayna's size, and had her name engraved on the front.  They also got her some bedazzled pink safety goggles, which definitely go with her Mc2 spy kit.  She was pretty excited.

I can't wait to have a backyard again. . .

We had a bizarre period of mid-30s weather yesterday, and so the snow started to melt off our back patio roof, but then the temperature dropped again. . . creating whatever the hell this is.

Obligatory Christmas Morning fire

Ready for science

(Note the One Direction video streaming on my phone.  I hate boy bands. . .)

She was itching to try out some of her experiments, but we managed to hold off on that crap until we went over to Mom's. . .

Like last year, we caravaned over to Mom's with Chris and Nicole around lunchtime, and met up with Grandpa Chinery, Jeff, and his family for more Christmas craziness.  Shortly after arriving, Alayna asked Mom to help her with one of her experiments. . . which had something to do with vinegar, I guess.  I don't know, I don't get science.

I'm glad Mom doesn't have a problem administering this messy science stuff in her kitchen, 'cause I sure as hell don't like the idea of it happening in my kitchen. 

Stoked.

Bugging Papa John

I made it about an hour at Mom's before I asked if I could go upstairs to take a 30-minute power nap - my body just couldn't handle Christmas anymore.

Kris let me sleep for about an hour or so before coming upstairs to wake me up for Presents

Upon waking up, feeling a hell of a lot better

The gift-exchanging begins. . .

The one thing Abby wanted more than anything this year was an Imperial AT-AT Walker (another Star Wars Galactic Heroes toy.)  Unfortunately, she had waited to ask Santa for this until after we had already bought all of her Christmas presents, so Mom picked this up for her.  

She was bummed she didn't get it Christmas morning (even though she wouldn't say it), so this definitely made her day.

Attempting to remove the damn thing from its box. . .

One of the gifts the girls gave Mom this year was one of those recordable storybooks - they read her The Night Before Christmas. 

We'll have to try these sum'bitches out this winter - I always hated the circular slides, but maybe the kids will like 'em.

Grandpa Chinery opening up some authentic Scarlet artwork. . .

. . . and Mom, too.

The girls also gave Mom some Christmas ornaments this year that they picked out at Bronner's.

The gift exchange done, it was time once again to play with the Plunder. . .

Later on that evening, once we got back home, the girls tried out some of their new Wii U videogames. . .

For the second year in a row, upon returning home from Mom's, we found that Watson had diarrhea'd all over the living room floor.  He never does this. . . except on Christmas.  So we came to the conclusion that he was getting sick from the turkey scraps that we gave him on Christmas Eve.  You can bet your ass we're not doing that again. . . 

One of the Wii U games we got the girls this year was some Mario 3D World game (I think that's what it's called.)  They really like it, but they were stuck on this riding-on-a-dinosaur-down-a-waterfall level for the entire evening.  It was maddening.

Some of the new additions to their horde of figures. . .

(The light-up lightsabers are a cool touch, I'll admit.)

Over the last week we've acquired a king's ransom in baked goods and candy this year.  Looks like we're all gaining weight this winter. . .

My sister-in-law, Annie, made these - it's literally a baked mug of hot chocolate, down to floating marshmallows on top.  Kris needs to step it up a notch or twelve. . .

And to close out the most celebrated and festive day of the year:  The Muppets.
'Cause we're The Houghs.

- Brian