Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning started out early at the Folger House. Apparently Liam got up around 5am (just like his Mommy used to do when she was little!), but Karen managed to keep him in bed (or at least in her room) until about 6. I had prepared a breakfast casserole and butterscotch cinnamon rolls the night before, so Mom put them in the oven for me in the morning and had everything out and ready for everyone to eat at 7am. Hannah actually slept in (probably because she was up late and didn't nap much on Christmas Eve), and I actually had to wake her up around 8am when we finally decided to open presents because everyone else was up and had eaten. I'm amazed that Liam lasted a whole two hours downstairs without ripping into the presents. He kept running into the family room squealing "presents" and then running back to us. He was all over those packages!

Liam and Hannah check out the packages

Aunt Karen tries to keep Liam from moving the presents from under the tree

Liam was really into opening presents. Hannah was into watching what Liam was doing. She really enjoyed passing gifts out to people, and would rip a gift open when encouraged, but there was just too much going on for her to focus on her own presents.

Grandma managed to get Hannah to sit still and open a present

...and then she took her gift to Uncle Brian to try out. To be honest, I think if we only got her one thing she would have been perfectly content.

The next round of gifts have a bit of a back-story.... My brother ordered Christmas presents for Hannah and Liam some time ago and according to mom was quite excited to get them. He had everything shipped to WV so he wouldn't have to figure out transportation. Dad had offered to assemble everything for him because he wasn't sure when he would make it home but Daniel said he wanted to do it. When he made it home from New York (via Pittsburgh for Steelers and Penguins games the week of Christmas), according to my dad he said "hello" and immediately went to the basement to assemble the gifts. Karen & I were forbidden to go in the canning cellar (apparently the storage location) and when Mom went to bed on Christmas Eve she asked Daniel how he was going to give the gifts and he told her that he'd figure something out.

What he did was wrap these giant gifts with wrapping paper. They were tucked into two separate corners of the room.... He got Hannah a play kitchen and he got Liam a riding tractor/end loader. They were the "hit gifts" of the day.

Both Hannah and Liam LOVED the play kitchen and were at it non-stop once it was opened. This kitchen isn't the type of kitchen I had as a kid....the frying pan sizzles when you put it on the burner & the pot "boils" -- it is really neat. Great job, Daniel!
They played so well together and were having so much fun that Liam had to be coaxed into opening his gift.... But once he opened it, he was really into it. It's so big that Grandma and Grandpap will have to make a delivery when they go to DC for Liam's birthday.

Hannah got a new wagon. We got everyone dressed and bundled up (after this picture) and I took them outside for a walk....one trip around the driveway and it started to rain -- Murphy's Law!

Abby definitely isn't our "baby" anymore...we didn't even get her a present. But, she opened one of Hannah's after Hannah lost interest : )

Of course, the adults at the house got some very nice gifts as well, but they really aren't worth photographing!! This was certainly a wonderful Christmas. We had a lot of fun sitting around talking, watching the kids play, and just enjoying each other's company (and lots of food too!). I really wish my sister and Brian lived closer so the kids could play together more often -- they were such a pair! Uncle Daniel spent a lot of time playing with his niece and nephew - I'm sure he wishes he got to see them more often. Of course my mom loved having all of us home (although as our families grow, the Folger house definitely starts to feel smaller than it did growing up....could also have something to do with the fact that Karen and I married some good-sized guys!) and getting to play with the kids - she loves being a grandma! Definitely a memorable time had by all.