...And all through the house

Because of the popular demand of the masses, I, Benjamin Francis Hector the First (and only, if I have my way with the naming of future male progeny...), will descend from the ivory bastions of intellectualism and dirty my fingers with the pleasant task of writing a blog post. Be merry, dear readers, in the style of the season.

Christmas Day did dawn in a highly pleasant manner. Far different from the "Glorious Morn" in California, which seems to start at an ungodly hour (especially distressing considering it's status as a supremely godly day), in this house the children stay in bed until summoned. Due to that supremely wise dictum, I pleasantly slept until 0830hrs. This rule is likely to be incorporated into the Ben Hector family law-book.

After that, rules go out the window, and chaos does ensue. One can almost see the wrapped packages cringe when the rabid eyed hounds are released, but "not such hounds as mortal eyes have seen!" One of them could be best described in the words of the great Arthur Conan Doyle: "Fire burst from its open mouth, its eyes glowed with a smoldering glare, its muzzle and hackles were outlined in flickering flame."

Terrifying, is he not?

The baby looks highly distressed.

Merry Christmas toes, and Aunt Jill's socks. Why is it girls can get away putting up pictures like this?

Before any presents are opened, the Christmas Story is read. The baby found her Grandpa's reading quite engrossing.

Or maybe it was his thumb?

The irreconcilable difference between these faces makes me wonder what they are looking at....

Oh, now we know. James is jealous. He wants a cigar too!

This is an actual quote from Emma: "I got Elephant Perfume!" Say what?!!?!?

Time for the baby to unwrap her own present.

Notice the similarity in grip. Such poise, such talent!

Rip it!

Break for a quick snack.

What is it, what is it?

"You got me clothes, seriously?!?!"

"Well, I guess this is cute."

Stiff upper lip, and all that.

Jessica likes this advice.

Dad got a bow tie. Bow Ties are cool!

Hats, they are very useful for holding in your brains, in the event of a skull failure.....

A foodie baby contemplates the fabric crawdad, obviously wishing it were eatable.

Cordially yours.....


The aunties have been teaching Lilyana how to blow kisses. Blowing, check, kissing....still trying.

I suspect McMom, in the living room, with the candlestick.

Oooh, pretty tree!

One specially made headband. (My wife makes these, if you want to buy one!)

Bubble wrap hats, just in case!

The McDonald family has an odd tradition of giving the menfolk boxers on Christmas. This year they made the mistake of giving a pair to "Superman"!

Yep, I'm a trendsetter.....





James doesn't quite have the fashion sense of Caleb and I.



Dad showing off his new bowtie.

Two very snazzy looking people.

Real baby, meet fake baby.

Ha! I'm definitely cuter than you!


Taking a break for some food!

Two girls, all dressed up for dinner!

Ok, I need to get some teeth!

Now you have a look into the inner sanctum of Christmas morn.

Later,

BFH

'Twas the night before Christmas....

Christmas Eve usually means relaxing, talking, goofing off, eating hors'devoures for dinner, lighting the great candelabra and playing games until the candles go out...  This year was just that...a wonderful evening with just the family.  We played Abstractables (a game developed by some friends of ours) instead of the usual Cranium and I think that everybody enjoyed it.  Since I was only able to choose 60 of my favorites from the favorite picture list, I decided to break the Christmas posts up.  The next installment should be up tomorrow!

Our "Christmas Eve" started with going to church in the morning.  Lilyana was enjoying her Aunt Lily before she saw me...then she decided that she was hungry.

We headed home soon after service to begin the Christmas Eve festivities...

Since goofing off is on the list of things to do, Melissa decided that wearing a ballerina duck was fitting.

Lilyana chose to be the one to relax.  She deemed chillin' in daddy's lap while munching on fingers quite appropriate.

The girls weren't interested in talking, so they ate lemons instead.

Joshua wanted to help make the hours'de'vours, so he was given the juicing job.

Phew!  That is hard work!!!

One more Advent reading until we were able to light the Christ candle.  Lilyana loves sitting with Grandpa while he reads.

The boys were pretending to be the magi...

Mmmm, Grandpa's thumb is taaaaaaasty!

Food!!!!  Glorious food!!!  When there are a bunch of girls in the house, hors'de'voures make a very good dinner.

Goofing off with Aunt Jill is always fun.

Dad working on something...

...and the guys guessed it!  

Melissa had to build E.T. and surprisingly Jill guessed it!

So!  Check back tomorrow for the next installment!  Ben is trying to talk me out of posting "an obscene amount of pictures" so we'll see how many we end up with.... If you want to see them my selection, then leave a comment telling Ben that! *grin*

Tiffany for BLT