A Wilkinson Christmas!

Christmas in the Wilkinson Household has a similar mold every year.

The morning is insane - gift opening, gift playing, conversation - in the afternoon and evening, everyone relaxes.

This year was no different in that regard... Crazy in the morning, calm in the afternoon.

We got in at 4 am with my Uncle Craig to learn that Mikayla who had been sick with a cold was heading to the ER. She was having severe pain in her side. My parents and Craig headed out with Mikayla while the rest of us tried to get some sleep. They came home around 8ish. 

Turns out Mikayla had ruptured a cyst with all of her coughing. Ouch.

Normally, Christmas operates where everyone comes to the tree together to see the gifts. Given that we wrap and set out each other's gifts now, it isn't as big of a deal and given the insanity of the morning, we opted to not worry about that detail. As people awoke, we all slowly gathered to the family room. 

Audrey, rather adorably, plopped herself down right next to the presents the instant she saw them. She would stroke them, lift and hug them ... She was so friendly with them that I was concerned she would open one! So, being desperate, I said the one thing I knew would get her to abandon the gifts, "Audrey! Laura has make-up!"

whoosh She was on the couch in a flash ready to do make-up.

 

In fact, Audrey was even kind enough to do Craig's make-up too!

 

We got a few pictures in and then gifts were sorted!

 

 The kids were ... less than excited about getting pictures taken instead of ripping paper ...

But they were happy, I promise - even if the "happy" didn't all show in the same photo.

A fun story about that kit Aaron opened. So, Audrey received a doctor's kit (Doc McStuffins) and Aaron decided he would also like one. I sent my dad a link to a simple kit and he replied, "I found a cooler one that has 40 pieces!" gee ... thanks, Dad. However, the kit he found didn't come with a case, so he went to the store and got one. He tried to describe it to me, "It's purple but it doesn't seem girly. I think he'll like it." Low and behold, it's a Doc McStuffins bag! The TV show they watch that got them interested in having a kit in the first place. Nice work!

Thank you, Papa, for snapping pictures of my little family!

 Thanking Papa and Nonna for their Peter Pan movie, cars, Baymax, doctor's kit, and so much more!

 

 Audrey fell in love with this tea set and made sure to share her "tea" with everyone!
Thank you, Mikayla for the fabulous gift!

This little lady was all about snuggling with us after gifts were opened, so we snapped a few pictures!

 After gifts were opened, Eric got it in his head that it would be a good idea to take me out and toss me in the snow ... and he was right. I love that sort of stuff. My dad and my sister quickly filmed the event. 

 After all of the craziness of the morning, we got a few pictures of my little family and then settled in the play video games and LEGO's and just hang out!

 These boys are slowly getting used to me kicking their butts in games :)

 

 

 Dinner was nearing and my dad who usually cooks had fallen asleep. I chatted with my mom and we decided that Craig and I would make dinner.

 Given that we have no clue where any of my parents' nicer looking dishes are, I'd say we did pretty good! I even made my dad's homemade gravy and learned his secret ingredient! It turned out great! Spiral ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, olives, rolls, green beans, and corn.

Merry Christmas, all!