The Beans: Bean Christmas

Christmas morning! Look at all those presents! I especially love how festive the fireplace looks. So Christmas-y.

I really like the tradition of reading the Christmas story right before we open presents. It helps everyone remember the true meaning of Christmas and help us set our focus on the spirit of giving.

Muskegon Beans with their first presents. They sat like this for the whole Christmas story. What good discipline. (Brooklynn sneakily opened her present before it was time.)

Brooklynn LOVED opening presents. I think she also loved everything inside them but I'm not sure she made the connection that opening the presents=receiving a gift. I think she just liked tearing the paper off, and then, oooh, what is this toy? This wasn't here earlier!

I guess Andrew wanted to put his train down his Pajamas. He's such a silly boy.

Brooklynn has been wanting her own couch since April when James and Charity brought theirs to Florida. She sat on it every chance she got. I tried to buy one for her on sale and Josh wouldn't let me, he just kept saying, "put it on her Christmas list." It was so long to wait for both of us, but we're really excited we actually got it! Thank you, James, Charity, Adeline and Andrew! Brooklynn will love it for many years, I'm sure! (And so will Gabriella when she's big enough to sit on it.)

Brooklynn and Andrew sitting on her new couch. I wish I could fit right in the middle of them.

Josh starting his career as a Dad putting things together during Christmas. He's official now. :)

He is putting together the truck that Erin got for Brooklynn. She played with it for like half an hour at the toy store and was again SO excited to open it. Now she has her very own truck! Thank you, Erin!

A very happy Adeline with her Pillow Pet. That is all she wanted for Christmas. She even sang the entire theme song from the commercial when you asked her what she wanted for Christmas. (And I must give a shout out to the Pillow Pet company. WAY TO GO this Christmas. Every kid I know got one this year.)

A very cute picture of Adeline and Betsey.

Charity was the popular one with the kids during present time. Maybe next time I'll sit on the floor.

Brooklynn got some shoes that are sparkly, glittery, and best of all, LIGHT UP! She loves them and every time she wears them she points and says, "oooooooo!" Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

Andrew opening his 150 balls. I couldn't think of a better gift for him, nor a better boy to receive that as a gift. It was a no-brainer.

Brooklynn and Andrew both were pretty excited about her "Baby All-Gone." Brooklynn has been playing with it in the stores for months now so we're really excited she got it for Christmas! Thank you, Aunt Betsey!

Adeline with her new Tag system.

Brooklynn opening her stroller. She LOVES her new stroller and plays with it all day, every day. Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa!

Brooklynn with her favorite presents from the Beans:

Her stroller, two new babies (that is "Baby All-Gone" in the back), her very own truck that makes noise and even moves, and her new couch! Thank you so much, everyone! We're working on thank-you notes, but Brooklynn is so busy playing with all her presents it's hard to tear her away.

Mom Bean opening her sweatshirt. It had the kid's pictures AND all of their handprints on it. It was so cute.

Betsey modeling some type of yellow reflective vest? I think it's for her running?

Josh's reaction when he realized that our HUGELY wrapped present, was in fact the GPS that he wanted.

Adeline helping Betsey look at the picture she drew all over her present. Aunt Betsey got to be the favorite Aunt for the day because she got Adeline her beloved Pillow Pet.

We let the kids open their presents first. Clearly, we need to hire a babysitter for next year to keep them all busy. I think Brooklynn probably ate about 10 cookies while we weren't paying attention, and the collage below highlights some of the things she got into while we were doing that. From top left: she's sitting IN my new basket, she and Andrew opening my present from under the tree, lying underneath the tree next to all the presents in her own little world, and finally a shot of her helping Josh open his present.

Letting Brooklynn help open presents seemed to be a winner. Here she is opening one of Gabby's presents. We told her it was for her and she put each tiny piece of paper on my belly. It was so sweet.

Trying to get a shot of Andrew with his underwear over his pjs, and with a bow on his head. He took the bow off and this is the best one from the front.

After presents we do stockings. This year we put the kids to bed and did stockings when they woke up. (And even though we all had to wait, I'm thinking EVERYONE was happy with that decision.)