Christmas card and letter (electronic version)

Isabel and Josiah's Christmas present to us was cooperating for adorable Christmas photos! Thanks kids! We couldn't have asked for anything better.

Our favorite Christmas memory this year was that on Christmas morning, after about a half hour of opening presents, Luke and I noticed that Isabel was not in the living room with us anymore. We called for her and her little voice answered from her bedroom upstairs.  We crept up the stairs to see what she was doing and there she was, sitting in her pink chair in her bedroom quietly looking at books by herself (looking at old books, mind you, not even new ones that she had just gotten for Christmas).  When she left the living room to find her "quiet book corner," there were still literally dozens of unopened presents under the tree. We just love our little bookworm!  We realized she must have been a bit overwhelmed and this is how she dealt with it (we are so thankful that she deals with it by retreating quietly instead of by acting out or getting hyperactive!). From there, we took things slow with opening presents and just did a few at a time over the next several days.  Josiah was at a fun age this year and tried to join in the present-opening fun, particularly by trying to chew all the packages open! :)

We hope that God has blessed your Christmas season and that 2011 is filled with more blessing than 2010!

Much love,
The Christensons
Kristy, Luke, Isabel, Josiah, and Ginger

You'd better not cry

Last year, we were in Florida when we visited Santa Claus. Isabel was just barely two years old, and a little apprehensive when we were standing in line. However, as long as Mommy, Daddy, and lovey were with her, she was content to sit for the photo (on Mommy's lap, not Santa's lap, mind you) with a very serious expression on her face. No smile, but no tears.

This year, we were hoping for much better results, and for a photo of just our children with Santa, with no parents in the picture.  We had high hopes as we were standing in line, because Isabel could barely contain herself, she was so excited to see Santa. And lovey was safely hidden away in the bottom of the stroller, not mentioned or asked for.  Things took a turn for the worse when we arrived at the front of the line and Daddy walked up and placed Josiah in Santa's lap. In a chain reaction, first Josiah began to cry, then Isabel began to back away and cry, and Santa was clearly not going to be okay with us just thrusting a screaming 3-year old at him when he was trying to hold onto Josiah (who, to his credit, stopped crying pretty quickly). So I grabbed lovey, handed it to Isabel, grabbed her and sat down next to Santa, hoping she would at least stop crying if she was in my lap, but no such luck....

We now have a classic meltdown Santa picture!  You will notice she is missing one shoe...that came flying off as we were nudging (dragging?) her little body close enough to Santa to get a photo!  At least we were entertaining to those in line behind us!  You know we were memorable because about an hour later, we ran into another family in the elevator at the mall, and they said "We were just behind you in line. We have a crier too!"

Next year, I swear, no mommies or daddies in this household will be allowed in Santa pictures. If the kids are not OK sitting with him by themselves, then one or both of them will not be in the photo and it will just be tough luck! :)

Merry Christmas!