Christmas in Greenville

On the day following Christmas, the kids enjoyed chocolate cake for breakfast at Nona's!  We headed back to GranGran and PePa's later in the morning.  

Gwen's first family gift exchange - she preferred the wrapping! 

Reagan and Granmommy putting together Reagan's new My Little Pony castle. 

On Friday, the four of us and Granmommy and Grandaddy went into Dallas.  Our original plan was to visit the Perot museum.  However, it was sold out, so we quickly came up with a plan B - to visit the new First Baptist Dallas.  Grandaddy knows the associate pastor, and we were able to get a private tour of the beautiful new campus!

The kids were memorized by beautiful fountain!  They could have spent all day just staring at the cascading and shooting water!

Peyton in front of the "Alamo" - part of one of the playscapes in the children's building. 

After lunch at Chuy's, we went to the Clyde Warren park (Dallas's new park built over RL Thorton freeway).  

Later that evening, we met at Brittney and John's house in Fate for a small Francis family get-together.  It was great to see everyone who could make it, and the kids enjoyed playing with their younger cousins!  

We finally headed back to Greenville to say our goodbyes.  After a final night at Nona's (and a final chocolate cake breakfast) we hit the road back home on Saturday morning.

Christmas Evening

We arrived in Greenville late afternoon on Christmas day.  We enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner prepared by Gran Gran and PePa.  The kids couldn't wait to dig into the Happy Birthday Jesus cake!  By the time dinner and dessert were over, everyone was pretty exhausted, including the kids.  They settled for only opening their stockings from Granmommy and Grandaddy, and we postponed gifts until the next day.

After the stocking excitement was over, the four of us and Granmommy and Grandaddy headed over to Nona's to spend the night.

Christmas Morning

Santa came!  (Peyton specifically asked the Santa we saw at the mall if he would please wrap all of their gifts this year.)

6:00am 

Last year, Peyton asked Santa for a "real-life" elf that he could touch (because the kids cannot touch their Antonio the Elf).  Santa brought both kids elves last year, but, unfortunately, those elves were not "crafted" very well and fell apart days after Christmas.  So "real-life" elf went back on the Christmas list again this year.  Santa did better this year. 

Weather thermometer from Peyton's wish list. 

Hello Kitty diary from Reagan's wish list. 

What could be in all those stacked boxes? 

The much-anticipated xbox, Minecraft game and a few accessories. 

6:16 am 

 Getting ready for the lighting of Peyton's final "Bible candle" and a Christmas breakfast of cinnamon roll casserole.  Peyton reorganized the table for this morning. :) 

Peyton reviewed the previous four Bible candles - Adam & Eve, Noah, David and Mary - and then lit the final one for Jesus. 

Peyton explaining why Jesus was born and wrapping up his "Bible candle" presentation.  Then we enjoyed a delicious breakfast by candlelight!