Christmas #4-Christmas Day in Monticello

No matter what happened at any other Christmas, there is nothing better than Christmas Day at our home. Especially this year. Alaric has so much wonder and love in his eyes and heart. Brian and I have just loved seeing the world and enjoying life through him. Christmas Day is spent in Jammies-it's required. ALL DAY! No exceptions. Stockings from Santa, gifts, homemade breakfast, and then movie marathon ALL DAY. Popcorn for lunch, pizza for dinner. it's our favorite day of the year.

Here are the kids before opening their stockings from Santa.
All Alaric had been asking from Santa was a tow truck. Good thing Santa found two and good thing Alaric likes small tow trucks! We could have ended Christmas there he was so happy!

But no- there was more to come. Last year, Brian and I began a new tradition that we love and truly believe has allowed us to stay centered to the important things at Christmas. Each person receives only three gifts on Christmas morning- representing the three gifts the Wise Men brought to Jesus. One gift is purly selfish-something you think they would just love. Another is something to do at home that is geared towards that person. The final is something to do away from the home, geared towards that person. This takes the focus off of the material things and more on the time spent together and helps us keep our priorities and values in check during the holiday season.

For Amara's gift just for her, she received these Little Enstein blocks. For her thing to do at home, she received a book. For her thing to do away from the house, she received a sled.

Alaric's gift just for him was this endloader. His gift to do at home was a game called NED's HEAD. His gift to do away from the house was an Illini hockey t-shirt and the promise to go see an Illini Hockey Game together.

I win this Christmas for sure. Have I told you lately that my husband is the most amazing, romantic, special, sweet man in the entire world- seriously!!!!!!

For the gift just for me, he MADE this Arbor below. He found some original cedar wood beams out at Allerton, milled the wood himself and created this masterpiece for us to put in our garden! Its so beautiful! Then, for my gift to do at home, he created a Fulton Family Dinner Box. Eating as a family is so important to us both. He created a box with little slips of paper for us to draw each night at dinner. SOme are things to talk about ( Talk about the weather outside). Some are things to do during the meal ( stop and do a cheers) and some are things to do after dinner ( don't do the dishes, go out for ice cream instead). SO CREATIVE!

Are you ready for the gift to do away from the house? it's the best ever. He created a beautiful card for me with pictures of Allerton Park and asked me if I would renew my vows in the Sunken Garden next July for our 5th anniversary!!!! He already reserved the garden and asked if we could renew our vows UNDER OUR NEW ARBOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AMAZING!!! I cried of course.

Well, Brian's wasn't nearly as awesome as mine or as creative but I think it was pretty great too. For his gift just for him, I gave him three things....A binder with clear pages to put all the recipes and ideas for meals he gets off line, a journal to keep track of his ideas and lists when making special meals, and a coupon to create his very own cookbook together over the next year with pictures, history, etc. His gift to do away from the house was a family day out with gift certificates to the local bowling alley, movie store, and DQ. His gift for home was a board game. I took Scatergories and turned it into Fultongories. Each list is related to our family. I printed new cards and paper with our pictures on it and personalized it just for him.

After the gifts and an amazing waffle and strawberry breakfast, we blew up the air mattress in the family room, got every pillow in the house, and started our movie marathon. What a wonderful day!