Christmas 2009

Corey's first pageant debut was at St. Luke's Christmas Eve mass for children. Through out the week he practiced his big line.  He practiced a couple times with the other children in the church and we practiced it all week.  I was a little worried at how he would do but he was brilliant! Not only did he do exactly what he was suppose to do, he was the only child who did his line and sat down like they did in practice. He did cave to peer pressure and stood up eventually.  I was so proud of him. All the time in practice I did not think he was paying attention! As soon as the attention was on him he performed!

In the little video above you can see Daddy taking pictures and Will following him as learned what a photographer did while working. Uncle Doug worked the camera because I was afraid that I would not be tall enough to see over everybody standing (the pageant was during the Gospel) but at the last second Father motioned everybody to sit down. This is the first video Doug ever shot so it is a little shaky.

After mass... Kristin, Olivia, Will and Doug joined us for dinner (my homemade lasagna) and afterwards the kids exchanged gifts. The Puzon's gave us a gorgeous ornament from Hixon's that says believe and love in Slovak. I can not tell you how much it means to me especially since it will always be a reminder that we are blessed with such a wonderful extended family but this is the year that Corey started gymnastics in the same Slovak club that my father was a part of in his youth.

Once the Puzon's were on their way we settled for the night in the hopes that St. Nick was on his way (who we had been tracking online thanks to NORAD). Since Daddy had to be up early to got to work... we woke Corey up at 3 AM to open presents! Corey got many presents but by far was the one he got the night before.

Daddy did not know how much Corey wanted it and I wish I had the video camera out for when he opened it because even before the paper was off the box Corey knew it was a "TOY STORY POP UP PLAY SET" and "IT WAS WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED!!!" Kenneth was beside him self that A. the boy can't read and B. it was what he always wanted! I am still not sure which was funnier that night... Corey's reaction or watching Kenneth try to get Barbie out of her box! And he wondered why I spent so much time in advance taking things out of boxes (and putting them back in) before wrapping :)

Visiting Santa at Lakewood Library

The Talking Spruce @  Light Up Lakewood

Decorating Cookies with Olivia

All in all it was a wonderful Christmas.