Post-Christmas Fun

One of my favorite parts of Christmas vacation used to be the week after Christmas when I could play with all the fun things I got for Christmas. The same seems to be true around here. Josh and Ellie have been playing and enjoying all their new toys.


Josh has put together his race car track, taking over the kitchen table, until I made him take it down on Sunday so we could eat at the table. I suspect it might take up residence out in the office soon. One of my favorite gifts I got for Christmas one year (and actually one of the very few I remember) was a racetrack. Me and my dad used to race and race those cars around the track. Josh's cars, however, light up. Mine didn't, but I can assure you there is no way he enjoys his track any more than I did mine.



Today he has started putting together his model cars. Fortunately, Ellie hasn't found his work area yet and he has been able to work undisturbed. He is so talented putting things together. He just gets it.


Ellie has really enjoyed her bath toys, refusing to get out of the tub. Her favorite tub toy seems to be her baby doll. She takes her diaper and shirt off, washes her and then wants us to put her diaper on and off over and over again. Afterwards, we also have to put the baby's shirt on and off over and over again too.


She's also been loving her Color Wonder markers, paint and crayons. Tonight Daddy helped her paint with her Color Wonder paint. That was pretty fun to watch. Kevin's such a good daddy!!

And THIS is what my bathroom has turned into. The joy of having a Princess!

While we LOVED all our gifts, there were a few that really were special to us this year. Ellie's babysitter, Dee'Anna, took pictures of Ellie's feet, face and hands in black and white and had them framed in a black three panel frame. It is so precious and I took it home and hung it up as soon as we got home.

Then, Ellie got a present from her one of her BFF's, Josie. It is a board book that is filled with pictures of her with little phrases under each one, like "Ellie is happy." "Ellie is sad." and such. It is the most clever, wonderful gift and I was totally surprised and excited. Ellie sits around looking at it. I did have to put it up, though because she colored her face green on one of the pages while I wasn't looking. *sigh* Josie forgot to put in, "Ellie is artistic." HA!!

And, my parents framed a family portrait we had made and gave that for Christmas and I LOVE it. We hung it up as soon as we took our Christmas things down (and had room for it then). I love looking up and seeing it each day -- it's our first formal picture of our family since Ellie became part of our family.