"Christmas Morning" in Arizona

 It wasn't really Christmas morning but since we were going to be traveling during Christmas we celebrated with our little family (plus Kristen, Canela, and Amy who were around) before we left!

We had homemade cinnamon rolls while we read the Christmas story 

and talked about Jesus.

After breakfast we opened the presents we had gotten for each other.

New lap desks!

Ellie got Gracie a wristlet (no more losing Alyssa's in FAO Schwartz in NYC or carrying 

Kiki's around and confiscating her chapstick!)  Her love for wristlets 

started at a very early age.

(We got Ellie got one too!)

 She also got a "night-night box".

Gracie loves to take random things with her when she goes night night,

but there's some things she's not allowed to have in her bed.

So her night night box is a place to put those things!

(mainly chapstick, but also coins, or maybe a pic or dice)

It was Travis' ingenious idea.

It has saved many long conversations/drama at nap/bedtime.

Her chapstick.

One of her very favorite things.

Not so much to use, as to have and hold!

Their new microphones!

(thank you Uncle Scott)

Amy being creative with her photography...

but I really love this one.

My first present with Ellie's handwritting!

Travis opening his new watch.

I actually got to surprise him 

(which I am typically terrible at!)

And last but not least, there was one more present...from Mimi and Poppy.

We told them to close their eyes first, 

but they didn't realize it wouldn't fit in their little hands.

A new jeep!

When I was pregnant (8 months pregnant!) with Emily,

we went to NYC right before Christmas and we walked around Toys r Us.

Ellie saw a car there and has talked about it off and on ever since.

So she was ecstatic!

She actually is a really great driver 

and does great now even if we're not out there with her.

Gracie...

is not. 

She is not really allowed to drive...at all.

She forgets to look where she's going when she's driving 

and gets distracted easily.

(Trav says it reminds him of someone else he knows...no comment!)

Thank you Mimi and Poppy!

And thank you Adam for helping put it together late the night before.

(you always seem to be around when it comes to building things and putting things together...

and for that we are thankful!)

Fun Phillips Christmas morning!