The Fulton Family: Christmas at our home!

Christmas Day is always my favorite day of the year...partially because we don't have to travel anywhere, partially because its just US, partially because we stay in PJs all day and watch movies and eat and play, and partially because we get to feel the magic of Christmas in the most perfect place on Earth- our HOME!

The children got everything they asked for from Santa this year ( they know that I asked Santa to only bring small things that can fit in a stocking. Therefore, my kids don't ask for big things ever-its nice!)

My favorite part is opening the homemade gifts the children made us at school. They have such pride. Since I am Amara's teacher and knew what hers was, this year she made hers just for Daddy....a picture of her dressed up as an elf!

Alaric made two special projects. I got to open his first weaving work from Art Class....he turned it into an ornament for me.

And he made an ornament with his picture on it too!

At The Fulton home,each of us only received 3 gifts. They have categories in order for us to make sure the focus of Christmas is on being together, making memories and doing stuff, not having stuff....one just for you, one to do away from the home, and one to do at home.

Mara's gift to do away from the house....go to a U of I Women's Gymnastics Meet!

Alaric's to do away from the house....Lazer Tag at Skateland!

Mine to do at home...Sound of Music DVD and popcorn!!!

Brian's to do at home....The Price is Right and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire DVD Games!

Amara's gift for at home....an activity bag filled with DOZENS of activities in ziplock bags she can do on her own or with a friend or family member. All supplies needed provided with instructions.

Alaric's gift just for him...all things NINJAGO! Lego set, two books, undies, and tshirt!

My gift to do away from the house....A Family Photo session with my friend and photographer, Carrie Bodznick! ( obviously I was overjoyed- you know how I love pictures of my family!)

Amara's gift just for her....Bitty Baby Twins. She named them Jack and Annie ( the characters from Magic Tree House)

Alaric's thing to do at home...Winter Blahs Jar and few activity supplies from the jar. Its a jar full of things he can do on his own or with others when he's bored....things like read a book, do a lego set, build a fort, do 10 pushups, create a ninja training camp, etc.

My gift just for me....a personalized picture frame!

Brian's gift just for him-BEER!

Brian's to do away from the house....CUBS CONVENTION in Chicago with my brother...3 days of baseball, beer, and boy stuff!

DESTRUCTION...and happiness!

We had a yummy breakfast, blew up the air mattress in front of the TV and settled in for movies. In the afternoon, we went on a secret mission. We completed Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University a few years ago. Dave Ramsey recommends that if you are ever in a financial place to give alittle extra, give a heavy tip to a person in the service industry that is working on a major holiday. Those people at restaurants and bars and gas stations and movie theatres and toll booths are not working because the WANT to work on Christmas but because they HAVE to. So, the only thing open in Monticello on Christmas was Hardees. We decided as a family to drive to Hardees ( in our pj's of course) and buy one order of fries and then give the person a $20 bill and yell merry Christmas and tell them the change was for them.

Thats what we did....the person didn't know what to do. he tried to give it back. We all yelled Merry Christmas, handed him some chocolate covered pretzels we had bagged up as gift and drove away giggling in delight! Brian and I were beaming. We loved doing it and we so excited to share it with our kids and make a difference to someone else's day in such a simple way....and we knew we got through to the kids about our "secret mission" because as we drove the 45 seconds back to our home, the children were already planning what we could do for others to surprise them on the next holiday!!!! TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!!!!