The Parks: Feliz Navidad!

Parks/Johnson Christmas 2009...SO. MUCH. FUN! This was the first Christmas where the kids really got into the Christmas spirit. They loved seeing all the Christmas lights, "Christmas socks" (aka stockings), singing Christmas carols and Sanwanta (aka Santa). As has been the tradition since the Christmas the kids were born, we spent Christmas in Palm Bay and the family came to us. My grandma, mom, dad and sister were all under one roof for Christmas, which is always a treat. I managed to not be in ONE picture the entire day, but here are a few pictures from Christmas day...I PROMISE I was there!

These are the cutest little cots from Grandma and Grandpa in Columbus. They fold up into a little bag just like the tailgating chairs. The kids loved these so much, they even took their naps on them.

Opening their stockings...

This is Olivia with her glasses, mittens and slinky that she got out of her stocking...

TJ with the three OJ's. (Otis Johnson, the original "OJ"; Tara, aka"Otis Jr."- nickname given to my sister by her high school coach b/c she couldn't pronounced her real name "Quetara"; and Olivia Janae.)

The kids' first skates. They loved putting on all the gear.

Olivia caught on pretty quickly and wanted to "skate" on her own...they were confined to the carpet for my sanity.

One thing that was especially fun was that Olivia REALLY got into the act of opening gifts. I don't know that any adult actually opened their own gift except my grandma. Everyone else was handed their gifts one by one by Olivia and given the "do you mind if I open this one" look.

TJ was busy trying to put anything and everything into Elmo's mouth every time it opened. Silly kids!

Next up, our Christmas hairdo. I scheduled their holiday/birthday (mainly birthday) pictures for the day after Christmas so, as always, Gma had to made sure Olivia had a fresh 'do. She always does such a fantastic job with Olivia's braids. Thanks Gma!