12 hours of Christmas

Here's the play by play...


Christmas Eve

8:45 Kids asleep; wrapping commences
9:30 Out of wrapping paper; make a run to Walgreen's (open 24 hours)
9:45 Wrapping done
9:46 Nathan plays video games. I play with my new camera
11:45 Time to set up the coffee pot and get to bed!

Christmas day starts early!

12:36 Nathan and I finally go to sleep.
4:32 Adam wakes up coughing. I get medicine.
4:34 Nicolas gets up, too. He wants to open presents!
4:36 I tell Nicolas, "Go back to sleep!" (Yeah, like that's going to happen.)
6:17 Nicolas starts talking to himself in his room.
6:18 I am immensely pleased that the coffee started brewing 3 minutes earlier.
6:51 I get up. Tell the boys to be quiet and wait for their sister to wake up.
6:53 I pour coffee. I read my Bible. I listen expectantly.
7:12 "Mommy! Can we get up now?"
7:13 "No. You have to wait."
7:14 "How many minutes?"
7:15 "Fifteen more minutes." (Groans from the boys' room.)
7:38 "Mommy? Can we get up now?"
7:39 I languish another moment over coffee, "Ask your Daddy."
7:40 Noises, toilet flush, "Daddy? Can we get up now?"
7:41 Nathan, "Yes, but don't touch anything." (Ha!)
7:43 Boys enter.
7:53 Girl enters.

Headlines for tomorrow's paper flash before my eyes, "Mayhem hits Pflugerville Home." Stockings explode. Silly string wars break out in every room. Party poppers spark. Paper flies. Mounds of trash lay in the wake of 4 children on Christmas morning.


8:45 Quiet descends. The home is rebuilt...with Legos.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

I'm taking a nap.