Cutefest 2007: Episode 2, It feels like Christmas...or atleast it did...

"Mom, its a miracle...Santa remembered to come to our house!"

-Austin Kelly Wray-

I think that pretty much sums up the whole Christmas morning experience, especially considering the night before...The heavens opened and yea verily there was snow...lots and lots and lots of snow! I wish I could upload the picture from my cell phone camera so that you all could believe me, if you didn't experience it, you wouldn't believe it- we got what seemed like atleast 2 and half feet in one day in Idaho Falls, and of course that day had to be Christmas Eve.

I had promised Amber that I would come spend the night at her house and help her and Kelly wait for Santa to arrive. Despite horrendous driving conditions Amber was brave enough to come pick me up when my car was snowed in, seriously, it was SNOWED IN! The image of other cars down my parent's street trying to get out is an image I will never forget....my brother, brother in law, and step-father were nice enough to go help dig people out; however, when I was ready to leave they were pooped! Amber called, she was on her way!

I began the walk down the street to meet Amber, I didn't want her to get stuck down at the end of the street where my parent's apartment was. I watched as she slid out onto Hoopes Avenue like a star baseball player sliding into home. She stopped, I hopped in and we were off "Baha-ing it" down the road, as Amber would say. We laughed and made our fake Yee- haw sounds even though I think deep down we were both terrified that we would only make it halfway... but we made it, the kids were in bed and it was time to wait for Santa to arrive...

We finally got to bed at around 11:30, I think we were all exhausted, Amber and Kelly from a long frightening drive home from Blackfoot earlier that night and me from trying to dig my car out alone with no success. However, I think as you can see from the pictures we had amazing results. ( Sorry, no candids of Santa, he declined to appear on camera!)

I felt like I had barely been asleep at all when I hear the screams from upstairs..."He's been here! Santa's been here! Wake up Austin, Santa was here and he brought me my Baby Alive, and he brought you your Transformers Mask!" The Holy Grail had been discovered, and there was no stopping the insanity that was now awaiting us. Austin dubbed it a Christmas miracle (as you saw earlier!) Macee was so caught up in her happy new Baby Alive world that I don't think the magnitude of her other presents set in until later and Addie would just get so preoccupied with one toy that she didn't want to open anything else.

....that my friends is when you know there are too many presents under the tree ( if there is such a thing, which believe me, there is) when the KIDS get sick of opening presents! Here for your viewing pleasure is our feeble attempt to convince Addie to stop playing with one of her new treasures to open something else...oh the older two were only too happy to open them for her...

(This is me exhausted!)

The kids opened and opened and opened presents and we were exhausted, exhausted, exhausted. Once all presents were opened (excepting presents from my parents since they were due to arrive later that morning) we all tried to sit back and relax as much as we could. Amber started working on hors d'oeuvres for our Christmas dinner and I started the prime rib. We waited, eagerly anticipating the arrival of my parental unit and other siblings, the big question of the m0rning was Would they make it? would they be able to dig out?" About an hour after their initial call telling us that they were on their way (mind you that in good weather they are only a short 5 minute jaunt away) they came baha-ing it up the street (thank you Amber, I love that word, and it really is the only way to describe driving in those conditions)

We all settled in and then we proceeded to open, yes, EVEN MORE presents. By this time, Macee was so happy with all of her Polly Pockets that the Littlest Pet Shop that my parents gave her made her feel like she was rich, the playtime possibilities were now endless! Austin was speechless when he realized that his loving grandparents had given him EVERY SINGLE STAR WARS MOVIE! I think the look on his face in the picture says it all.

Even more adorable, is Baby's First Christmas....I think that our little Raylee caught on rather well! She opened her own presents and like most babies was more content playing with the wrapping paper as opposed to playing with the actual presents underneath it.

Aaron and Holly's first Christmas as a married couple and it was nice having them there. Our family feels so much more complete and next year we get to experience another baby's first christmas as we celebrate with their little bundle of joy that should be about 3 months old around that time....aren't honeymoon babies the greatest?

And now we come to the pinnacle of our entertainment! Addie was so THRILLED to have. Raylee there! She is such a little mother and she just couldn't get enough of talking to Raylee and Raylee ate every bit of the gibberish that she was speaking up! This my friends is how we know Addie is a genius, we asked her questions and she just kept on talking and Raylee cooed in agreement with whatever Addie was saying. They say that babies and toddlers speak in an eternal language, Addie was so content gabbing that I really wish I could have known what she was saying, she was very happy to tell us all about it!

We all hunkered down to dig in to some tucker in Amber's basement...Austin said he was sick, but we all knew the real reason he didn't want to eat...the brand spanking new hand held V Smile system that he had been playing on all morning! Let me tell you, that boy is exactly like his uncle Aaron in every way! He is quickly on his way to being a video game officionado!

Well, dinner was eaten up and everyone decided to play some new board games that Amber had purchased for her family. We all played Scene it, Jr. Aaron, Austin and me were all on a team, and we totally kicked some keester! Mom was baffled by my movie knowledge, I think she worries that she didn't have me doing enough fruitful things during my childhood, but hey- my brain is a receptacle of useless knowledge, always has been, always will be- just make sure that if you are playing any kind of trivia game that you are on my team, otherwise you'll get to experience the floor wiping that my family members got (tee hee....)

Well, all in all, I'd have to say Christmas day went off without a hitch! I think it was the best family Christmas we've had in a while! It was so nice for everyone to be together and enjoy each other's company. We had some great times, like the Dart Board Challenge of 2008, Aaron refused to admit defeat, it was fantastical... and as for the rest of the day the food was wonderful and we got to spend time relaxing together!

Good times...good times! Well tune in to our next episode kiddies...we will welcome and bid adieu to a beloved Christmas treasure all in one fell swoop...get ready to tear up, it truly is tragic!