Christmas, New Years and Funny Kids

We had a great Christmas this year. We enjoyed a nice meal together as a family on Christmas Eve and then went to a live nativity. It was really well done and we all enjoyed it - the weather was great too! We came home and read the Christmas story together and sang some songs and then it was time to set out the cookies and chocolate eggnog (I know - Santa has some strange tastes around our house!), and the kids were off to bed. I was expecting some resistance, but everybody drifted peacefully off to sleep by 9pm. Matt ended up feeling pretty rotten by the morning and wasn't able to really enjoy the morning, but he relaxed in his new armchair while the kids went wild. All the kids were spoiled and they all loved the new things they got. We went out to my mom and dad's in the afternoon and had a great time visiting with all my family - except Rachel and Cub - we really missed them! We spent the night there and went to church with mom and dad on Sunday morning and then we all headed out to Mary Lou and Lennard's for Christmas dinner. There was so much food and it was all amazing - especially the yummy turkey! We have spent the rest of our holidays enjoying our holiday from everything. Matt had to work all week, but the kids and I really relaxed and did basically nothing. We all slept in, ate whenever, stayed in pj's and watched movies. It has been a great week.
Matt and I were up in the air on what to do for New Year's Eve, but in the end we ended up going to Mindy and Dan's and played games with them. It was a hoot and we all had a blast laughing and playing games until midnight. It had been a long time since we all had stayed up that late, but it really was a lot of fun.
This morning Anna came into our room and told Matt that she was going to make breakfast for him. I had already been up and made breakfast for the kids and was just back in bed chilling out. I wasn't sure why Matt was the lucky one to get breakfast in bed and I wasn't, but such is life I guess. Anna told Matt she was going to make him toast and water, and a few minutes later she brought in his breakfast. She sliced the bread, toasted and spread it with butter and jam and brought it all in to Matt. I was pretty impressed/annoyed since 2 days ago she had a major tantrum because I said I was done making breakfast and if she wanted more toast she would have to make it herself, but at least she is trying now. Matt and I laughed a bit at the cutting job she did, but it really was pretty cute. Of course being Anna, she just had to put a little spin on the whole situation when she came back in the room a few minutes later and asked for a dollar. We wondered why she wanted one, and then she came back with: "Because I brought you breakfast!" I have laughed at more things that Anna has said and done and I am never sure what her cute little brain with come up with next!
One more funny quip --- Brendan wanted to play a game with Matt on their iPod's and so Matt asked Brendan to go and get his iPod for him. So, as Brendan was huffing away, as typical teenagers do, we heard him say, "Yes, your man-ly-ness!" Love it!!!
We hope your Christmas and New Years was awesome too. Hopefully pictures will be up soon. We are borrowing a camera right now until we can decide which one we want to purchase and then we will go crazy with some pictures!