Happy 13th Macy!

We started the morning by singing to Macy. We have done this since the girls came to live with us. This tradition was a great plan when we first started it. Before the girls started school, Pepper and I would slip into the girls room and wake them up with our singing. We weren't that good or anything, but it made the birthday girl feel special and we always had a gift with us for opening in bed. It was just natural that we continue the early morning tradition after the boys were born. Nowadays, I have to say, it is not as charming a tradition as it originally was. Once Dori started middle school and had to be on the bus before the sun was up...  we started to feel the strain. Now it is a bit of a battle to get the non-birthday children up to sing... Pepper and I have to be part cheerleader and part drill sergeant. But this morning,  everyone was up without to much complaining and the singing... although still lame, included the entire household.

Macy was quite amusing when she opened her gift. She opened the card then ripped into the gift. We always make sure the gift is wrapped in birthday paper and we are never allowed to 'double gift' which is to present something as a birthday "slash" Christmas gift. Pepper's Mom has a December birthday too and we learned long ago that those were serious faux pas for anyone with a December birthday. So she ripped into her gift... which was Jones soda and dark chocolate (two things Macy loves but we try to limit how much she has) she was thanking us and hugging her soda and we had to tell her to search a little more in the box. We also included an envelope with a $100 bill inside. Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw old Ben Franklin's face peeking out. She has wanted to do some clothes shopping, so we thought we'd give her some money for that. She asked to have her picture taken with the money... cash is another of her favorite things!! 

Uncle K stopped by to plow the driveway again today. We will definitely have a white Christmas this year!! Sounds like tomorrow will be hectic. We have three relatives to visit before the church pageant rehearsal at 2:45, then pageant at 4 and Christmas Eve candlelight service at 9. Dad B and Dad D will spend the night over Christmas eve so they will be here to watch the kids open gifts in the morning, then we will go to Pepper's parents for an early dinner on Christmas day and back home to meet my sister, LM and her family. They will be staying at our house for a couple nights. It is hectic having so many relatives to visit, sometimes it is overwhelming to try to get everywhere-- but our kids have so many people in their lives that love them.... we really are all very blessed. 

Thanks for reading and happy holidays!!