Christmas Day in the Esh Home

Very often we are traveling right over Christmas Eve and Day, but this year it worked out for us to be home.  I’m so thankful for the many happy moments we had this year. . .here are just a few:

We made monkey bread for breakfast.  I love this stuff, but I think it’s going to be a once a year treat, because I’m having a hard time justifying eating white bread smothered in butter and sugar on a regular basis.   It’s the kind of thing that is perfect for Christmas morning, the  only day all year when calories don’t count.  If you need a recipe, you can find it here.

While the monkey bread was baking, we let the girls dig into their stockings (or mittens, in our house)!

Then we sat down to a nutritious breakfast of monkey bread, omelets, and grapefruit

Breakfast was followed by reading The Christmas Story from the Gospel of Luke and also from a sweet children’s book.Next was the mass chaos of present opening.  The girls each got some books and games, nothing terribly exciting, to be honest, but they got so much stuff from grandparents that we didn’t buy much. (Did you notice Ellie’s footed pajamas?  I want her to wear footed pajamas forever. and ever.)

Bryn and Lydia were happy with their new VTech game system and a bunch of new games:

And Ellie loved her new Melissa and Doug toys:

We spent a lot of the day working on a puzzle.  So relaxing.  The girls helped with it for a little while, but mostly, Conrad and I got hooked on it until it was finished.

At some point in the day we did have a nice dinner: ham, potatoes, green beans, and salad, but I didn’t take any pictures of that stuff.  When it was all said and done, we were left with a house that looked like a tornado blew through.  But I’m very willing to look past that. . .we had a perfectly relaxing day together with just our girls and I tried to soak in every moment of it. I went to bed very happy and fulfilled. . .what more can I ask for?