Perfect Presents

The kids got a lot of perfect presents this year. And while in Indiana we had plenty of time to play with lots of them.



Uncle Steven knew that his nieces and nephews have loved playing Angry Birds. So for Christmas he designed and built them an Angry Bird launcher (I should give Uncle TJ some props too because I do believe he was Stevens helpful sidekick). They did an awesome job and young and old alike have had a blast playing with it.

For Christmas, one of Tyler's gifts was a book that teaches him how to make different kinds of paper airplanes - something he loves to do. So he made sure to bring that with us because he knows that his Gramma Peper makes great paper airplanes - so good in fact that he says she actually makes jets, not airplanes. Uncle Steven helped him make a few one afternoon. And he was very excited because they flew great.

And while Brynn has always loved doing Gramma's hair, she had a few more guinea pigs this trip. Alison, her mannequin, may have got ignored a little while she still had willing participants. But she used all of her new hair tools a lot. One evening she made all three of her aunts look like triplets. They were very sweet and agreeable, just like Gramma always is. I really don't get why she loves doing other people's hair but hates having her own done?! Maybe that will change with her new very own hair dryer and stuff... maybe.






Brynn got a karaoke machine for her birthday. And the kids use it all the time. Only we never had any actual karaoke CD's. So for Christmas Gramma got her 4 new karaoke CD's and a second microphone. The kids, ok and once again the big kids too, loved showing off their skills and seeing themselves on the big screen...

Gramma also had decided that Tyler needed his own real tool set. And so that's what she got him for his gift. Along with the tools she got him a couple Home Depot building kits. Grampa sat down with him Christmas afternoon to build the first one. Although it didn't take long for Grampa to realize that a power screwdriver would work great and sure enough, it only took Tyler practice on one screw before he was a pro and they built his truck in no time.

And Brynn has been asking for make up for a long time. And all I have been willing to get her is fingernail polish (does that count as makeup???) and lip glosses. But my mom went out and got her the real deal. And Aunt Julia sat down to teacher her how to use and apply it. She's had a lot of fun with that and feels very grown up. Unfortunately I also had to talk to her about when she will actually be allowed to wear it. But she's still pretty proud.

(The real) Christmas Eve & Day (and the next day)

On Christmas eve we got to Indiana just before dinner time. Uncle Steven and Uncle TJ with Aunt Julia and cousin baby Steven were already there. So after we had played with everyone and had eaten dinner, we got busy and made Santa his cookies.

And the next morning we discovered Santa had indeed come and must have loved the cookies and milk we left him...
And he had left each of the kids a present under the tree.
He was amazingly creative and got Brynn her very own mannequin head with blow dryer, brushes, mirror, clips and bands, etc. Alison is the heads name and Brynn thinks she's great.

Santa had some last minute changes with Tyler as he announced on Christmas Eve Eve that he loved all the presents he had already opened but just knew that Santa was going to bring him the Transformer Rescue Bots that he had asked for. And sure enough Santa must have made the needed changes in time and got Tyler just what he wanted.

And Dylan got all whole box of Cars 2 goodies including the movie, McQueen slippers (that Dylan won't even go near let alone put on his feet), more cars and walkie talkies, etc. And Santa threw a Rescue Bot or two in there for Dylan as well so the boys could play together.

And crazy haired Kate got a fun Laugh and Learn "piano".

Then we got ready and rushed off to be at church by 9am. And we came home and had Grampa's brunch and played. And then that night Aunt Katy, Uncle Clay, and Jack and Brody arrived! And the kids got to stay up extra late that night because we've missed cousins. But of course, despite their special late night, they were still up early the next morning in anticipation of yet, yes, more presents. This time from Gramma and Grampa Peper and Great Grammy Peper.



Talk about being super lucky!... my kids are. Three Christmas mornings... can it get any better than that?!?! Oh whoops, yes it can - because daddy arrived that afternoon :)

Christmas Eve Eve

Preston is on FPIS for the month of December - that's the not so fun one. And, as luck would have it, he was on a 30 hour shift starting bright and early Christmas morning and getting off later the next day. Not an ideal situation. But we couldn't really complain seeing as this hasn't happened before so it seemed like it should be his turn. But it did leave us left with the question of how to celebrate; taking into account PJ's love of the holiday, the kids, PJ's work schedule, and traveling over to be with the Peper family in Indiana. Ultimately, we decided that it made the most sense to do Christmas Eve one night early and celebrate with our little family on Christmas Eve morning. Then that afternoon I would leave with the kids and head over to Indiana to arrive in time for Christmas Eve stuff (aka dinner, cookies & milk, excitement, etc.). PJ would get the best gift of all - a good nights rest with no interruptions from our darling kids :{ on Christmas Eve, and then he would drive over and join us when he got off the day after Christmas. And so that's what we did.
And on our Christmas Eve Eve PJ and Tyler were talking about what elves ate at the North Pole and some how decided that we were going to have a North Pole dinner. And apparently they discussed (sadly I think it was more PJ than Tyler) that elves eat ice cream and cookies and candy and all sorts of sugary goodness. So we loaded up and headed over to the store where everyone was told they got to pick out whatever they wanted to eat. PJ picked Toaster Strudels. Brynn picked ice cream. Tyler picked cookies. Kate picked donuts. And PJ was slightly disappointed when I picked Velveeta Shells & Cheese and Dylan picked race car chicken nuggets. And with all that, along with all the Christmas goodies friends brought over, we were sufficiently in junk food heaven. And it was a yummy night. Followed with baths, a Christmas movie and the reading of the Christmas story. And then off to bed.

The next morning the kids started waking up by 6am and we headed down at 6:30ish.

Each of the kids finally got their LONG awaited Pillow Pets!

And so many other amazing gifts...


They played for a while, excited about their new treasures. And hung out with daddy. Then we ate lunch and left him; and he enjoyed some serious peace and quite and alone time and got a good nights rest. But we did keep him updated via text, pictures, and calls over the course of the next few days because we missed having him with us.