It's Christmas! - Part II

After Tyler's afternoon nap, the five of us (that includes PJ) piled into the car for round 2 of Christmas at Nana and Papa's house. We enjoyed a delicious, non-traditional (by state-side standards) Christmas dinner that included red rice, daigu, and 3 different kinds of kebabs: chicken, steak and shrimp. Extra yum!

Nana & Papa with their boys

Kids and grandkids

Time for presents!

The grown-ups were barely finished eating when Cooper and Tyler announced that it was time to open presents. I wish I'd taken a picture of my parents' living room because it was absolutely loaded with big presents. Nana and Papa got the boys new chairs for their playroom table, hence the large boxes. They also got Cooper and Tyler each a Smart Cycle, which is essentially a video game that is powered by riding a stationary bike.

PJ, Cooper and Gabe Nathan and his new bath toysBIG presents
Trying out one of the new chairs

Gabie's new bus--he was SO excited about this

Tyler barely had one side of wrapping paper pulled back when he said, "It's my bike!" He was so excited. Seriously, he was so excited that when we told him we couldn't set it up until we got home, he said, "I want to go home now." And when he was supposed to be going to sleep that night, he was in his bed at 10:30 singing, "Bi-cysle, bi-cysle. I want to ride my bi-cysle, I want to ride my bike." (It's an old Queen song and he has a little trouble saying "bicyCle"). It came as no surprise when he bounded into our room the next morning saying the same thing. If I haven't made it clear yet, he really likes bikes.

"It's my bike! Yeah, woot woot!"

Trying out his new bike the following morning

Christmas was a lot of fun this year to say the least. We had so much fun trying to make Christmas special for the boys. I remember when I was younger, I couldn't conceive how giving could ever be better than receiving. Now that I'm a mom, I totally get it. Don't get me wrong--I love my new laptop and the other wonderful gifts we received from my parents and Tim's parents, but nothing can replace the expression of pure joy on my sons' faces. And now I realize that the joy of giving and love I felt this Christmas toward my boys can only be a fraction of what our Heavenly Father felt when he knew he was giving the world the greatest gift of all--Jesus.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)