You're familiar with Christmas Adam, no? The day before Christmas Eve.
Well, we drove up to Waynesville, N.C., on Christmas Adam, arriving around 10:00 that night. My sister was also arriving that evening, flying into Asheville, and was scheduled to land around 9:15. Unfortunately, bad weather (it had rained on us all the way from Birmingham!) delayed her arrival by over an hour, so she didn't get to Waynesville until about an hour after we did.
And THEN the kids were insistent that we just HAD to go ahead and open Christmas gifts that night! We tried to talk them out of it and Amelia gave us this face.
So we acquiesced.
I mean, who doesn't want to open Christmas presents after working a half day and then driving eight hours in the rain? Starting at 11 p.m.?
ONLY RIDICULOUS, MEAN PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO, said our children.
Since Waynesville was just a stopover on our way to Winston-Salem for the rest of the holiday, and we were to leave the next day, we decided to just bite the bullet. I mean, once a little girl has spied Anna and Elsa under the tree, all hope of sleep is lost.
Watching the kids open their gifts from my parents was so much fun.
They didn't know it, but they'd each gotten an iPad Mini.
I think they were a little concerned because they each only had one box to open.
But once they opened them ...
And the realization hit them ...
There was much rejoicing!
{This is a 6th-grader rejoicing.} {DON'T YOU ALL WANT ONE?}
They were totally shocked and so grateful.
Amelia even got her own.
Of course, if you've been around her at all, you know that she's as much of a pro with Apple products as the boys are, so she would've been CRUSHED if she'd been left out.
She plays her own music, videos and even knows shortcuts like how to double-tap the Home button to access her open apps more quickly. GIRLFRIEND KNOWS APPLE.
They also each got a generous iTunes gift card from my sister, which was also a huge hit.
Sorry these pictures are blurry, but A) moving fast and B) AFTER MIDNIGHT.
By the way, if you ever want to see someone get excited about something, invite Jake to participate.
That child is 100-percent vein-popping excited about whatever you've got to offer. It's very emotionally rewarding.
The boys are responsible for their own iTunes purchases, but I handle Amelia's at this point, so she didn't get a gift card. Sarah Ellen got something else for her. It came in a Big Box, which was Very Exciting to open.
"REE-PUN-SILL INT MAX-EE-MUSS!"
Sarah Ellen earned a leaping, FLYING hug for that one.
We loaded the gift cards into iTunes and set the iPads up to charge overnight, then finally went to bed sometime around 1:00. A long day that culminated in a fun evening, and I know the kids went to sleep dreaming of iPurchases soon to be made.
The next morning, I slept in and apparently Pop read Amelia one of her new books. (When I downloaded my pictures, this was on my camera. Very cute.)
Also? Somebody had taken pictures of the low clouds over the Smokies off the back deck on Christmas Eve morning. Not a bad view!
Once I'd dragged myself out of bed, we loaded up the van and drove over to The Blue Rooster for lunch. Let me just tell you, that restaurant is in a strip mall and you could easily miss it, but it may be my favorite place we've ever eaten in Waynesville (technically it's in nearby Clyde). If you ever visit, EAT AT THE BLUE ROOSTER.
Here's what you need to know about it: SKILLET-FRIED CHICKEN AND CORNBREAD.
If we're lucky, I'll be back before the end of the week to tell you about Actual Christmas.
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