Christmas in Paris

On a typical year, we try to visit Grandma Linda and Grandpa David the weekend before Christmas.  This year, we had two planned trips get snowed out before the holidays, so we ended up visiting the Watsons on the Friday after Christmas!

 

It doesn't really matter when we visit - it's always nice to see them!

 

Sarah loved showing off for Grandma.  She also loved opening more presents.  What a lucky girl!

 

 

We had lunch and took a few family photos with Grandma and Grandpa before stopping in to see some of Tom's friends.  As always, it was a quick day trip, but it's always nice to visit with everyone!

Christmas Day

As if the gifts at the Archer house weren't enough to keep Sarah happy for another year, we headed over to Grammie and PaPa's house for brunch and another round of gifts around 10:30.

 

Sarah was enamored of the Christmas tree in Grammie's family room.  I don't think she realized that there were more presents for her at this point!  

 

But really, have you SEEN this tree?!?

 

Grammie gave her a few tips on creating a well-decorated tree...

 

...and then we opened stockings!  Sarah is so very lucky that Santa knows to leave extra goodies for her at Grammie and PaPa's house!

 

We took a break for some Steeple Chase casserole (a Christmas day tradition!), and then we moved into the living room to open presents from each other.  Everyone received wonderful gifts, and Sarah had a blast opening everything!

 

This is the first time she got one of Grammie's favorite gifts to give - a calendar!  (Get used to it, kiddo!  You'll probably get at least one a year from this point forward!)

 

 

I love the look of "what-do-I-do-with-THIS?!" on her face!

 

It was followed by the "Really? Clothes???" look.

 

 

Luckily, there were lots and lots of presents to open!

 

This may have been the big hit of Christmas day - an American Girls doll in its very own "suitcase"!  

Sarah also loves her Viewfinder - complete with photos of Yellowstone to prep her for the trip this summer!  It took her a while to figure out that it SHOWED pictures instead of TAKING pictures, but she spent a long time yelling, "I see a big building!" or "I see a lake!"  It was super cute.

 



 

We also took the opportunity to take some family photos together.  Most of them turned out pretty well considering the fact that Sarah was in full silly mode by then!

 

Here we are with Uncle Adam...

 

And, of course, Grammie and PaPa!

Sarah was also kind enough to pose with Uncle Adam and Aunt Megan...

 



 

Luckily, Aunt Megan gives it right back to Sarah.  Just one of many reasons why we love Aunt Megan so very much!

 

Christmas Morning 2013

This year, Christmas morning was so much fun!  Sarah may have been scared of Santa, but she sure was thrilled that he visited our house!!! 

 

We started the unwrapping process with our stockings.  Santa was very, very good to Sarah.

 

 

 

Sarah had to stop to play with everything she pulled out of hers, so it took us a little while to empty our stockings!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When she had emptied her own stocking, Sarah helped Pickle to empty hers! 

 

 

 

Sarah asked Santa for a sled and a toy Ellie this year (Ellie is her favorite lovey toy).  She got both of these, but the big hit seemed to be the remote control bus! 

 

***Post-Christmas Update***

She really loves her new Ellie (she now has a set of three - bumpy Ellie, softie Ellie, and Christmas Ellie), but the Paw Patrol t-shirt (which Santa obviously made himself since there is no merchandise for Sarah's favorite show at this point) is the big winner here.  It is impossible to get her out of it.  She'll sleep in it, wear it all day the next day, and then insist in sleeping in it again.  I got her out of it for her first day back at school, but she had to take it in her backpack to show her friends.  Way to go, Santa...

 

 

 

 

 

Eventually, we convinced Sarah that there might be a few more presents worth her time under the tree in the living room.  Presents from Mom and Dad just didn't have the same magic as presents from Santa, I guess!  Sarah was a good sport, though, and came with us to open another round of gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once again, we had to stop and play with everything as we opened it!  Sarah got a harmonica...

 

 

 ...and a jukebox with kids' songs...

 

 

...and a microphone for singing along!

 

 

 

By the time everything was opened, poor Pickle was pooped.

 

 

Sarah, on the other hand, was ready to try out her play dough while Mommy made blueberry scones!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Christmas joy!  How I love to see my little monkey this happy!!!