Please note Lucy's outfit coordinates with my necklace.
Though raining, there was plentiful seating as prophesied by the priest last Sunday. The music was deemed acceptable by Tim, especially as evidenced by his do-it-yourself bongo drumming and propensity of random, off-beat clapping. GMK was quite certain that the festive red velvet headwrap/band was constricting LLGA's noggin but I overruled her in favor of ear warmth in a drafty church. Lucy stayed awake until AFTER Communion whilst Jamie kept nodding off ("I'm really tired, Mom" was his response to jabbing from She Who Sat in the Pew Behind the J-Crabs In Order to Ensure Proper Mass Conduct). Ben and Charlie sat with GMK and Grandpa Mike in the pew behind LLGA, Tim and me -- which, admittedly, provided a germ-buffer-zone (at least in my mind) for LLGA.
After Mass, GMK poses with an Illini-orange-and-blue version of the Illinois Governor's future apparel!
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Courtesy of Ben's Wear-Out-the-J-Crabs Project (i.e., rock climbing yesterday afternoon with the J-crabs--photos to follow at some point)...it appeared that all crablets were (gasp!) SLEEPING IN. What?!
At last, after much loud talking by the Sand Crab and his spouse about WHETHER SANTA PASSED BY OUR HOUSE, Jamie stumbled in and asked permission to "investigate the stockings". Permission granted.
He came bounding back to inform us that Jack had already "ripped into" his stocking. How can that be, as Jack lies fast asleep? (And how can that be, as Santa Claus didn't deliver until 1:45 a.m. after "he" dozed off waiting for the crablets to fall asleep?)
Ergo, Jamie pounced on Jack, causing Jack to amble into our bedroom -- hair in marsupial attack-stance and sans mouthguard -- to "confess" to "crushing guilt" in awakening at "3:44" with poor impulse control (my phrase, not his).
Yup...empty!Jamie also reported a New World Record Low of 1 item in the Crab Queen's stocking. Oh, dear, Santa must have heard the Queen's potty-mouth nagging of the crablets-who-couldn't-possibly-put-away-their-own-clean-and-folded-laundry!
The J-crabs (unable to savor any peace) dragged Charlie out of bed to the livingroom. Charlie took a look around and announced, "I want to go to sleep please" and returned to bed for a few more minutes of shut-eye.
On his second time to the livingroom, he was clearly ready for Christmas.
Lucy was a bit over-stimulated by the presents and chaos. Or maybe it was just the overexposure to stripes?
Somehow Tim not only fills the recliner but thinks it his appropriate seating location.
The J-crabs spotted a Santa-wrapped gift hidden behind the tree. (Ed. Note: It is a very interesting sociological feature that they possess laser-guided shark eyes for gifts bearing their names but are visually-impaired when it comes to noticing and reacting to routine chores to be completed).
WHEE...it's a Wii! There was momentary pandemonium (commensurate with Manchester winning at football -- meaning soccer), which Ben equated to dropping a fifth of Jack Daniels into the middle of a new-members-only AA meeting. There was hugging, jumping, and general merry-making.
And levity...how there was levity.Supporting my local Starbucks, I made a run for hot festive beverages while Ben made biscuits. It's all about Tim's happy mood. We own that motivation. Well, and about the Crab Queen's salted carmel hot chocolate access.
Another self-portrait, another regret of not tinting my lips. 
Oh, well. Know that kids' drinks are about a buck a piece.
GMK and Grandpa Mike said that they weren't coming back until the afternoon. The kids are anxious to open their gifts (little mercenaries that they are) so we may have to jingle-jingle them and move that time forward a few hours!
Baby's First Christmas
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