Christmas at the Tatum house

"Is Santa coming to see us this Christmas?" asked Mady Kate. "Well, have you been a good girl this year?" I asked. " Most of the time!" she said. John and I laughed that night about how honest her answer was. If one added up all of the "good" things and then added up all of the "bad" things would Santa really not come. I know that this question has entered many children's minds over the years. I can see many lying in their beds on Christmas Eve and wondering, "will there be coal and switches in my stocking"or" Did Santa pass over our house". I will honestly say that as a child these thoughts came to my mind. Not that I was really "bad". But who knew. This year was particularly fun at our house. My parents, brother and grandmother were all there. Christmas Eve night Matt, John and Pappy went out of their way to excite the girls. They first went out to "feed" the reindeer, then we made Santa's plate along with his diet coke. For some reason Lucy thinks that Santa comes at midnight. She was frantic trying to get in the bed before "he" came. Every year I have a feeling of guilt on Christmas Eve. 1. We spent way too much money 2. Did we stress the true meaning of Christmas enough to the kids? 3. This is a big ole hoax!!!! We go through so much to keep the big secret( lie) from them. One of those big things we teach our sweet babies NOT to do. In 1985 I was in the first grade. Of course my parents had also gone out of their way to keep this from Matt and I. Santa would always eat his cookies and milk and then leave the nicest thank-you note on the napkin that we had left for him. Only thing was that I had picked up on my parents handwriting by then. I quickly went to my mom and asked her if I was right. She confirmed and I began to ball, not cry, ball. then asked if I could tell Matt. Mom said that he already knew. How sweet, he kept that to himself for how many years? See Matt, you do love me.

Lucy, Mady Kate and Jack were not the only children at our house this Christmas.

Jack was pretty sweet with that reindeer outfit on. It had reindeer on the feet too.

Even though the football was as big as he was, John thought that he would take to it right off. Go long...

This picture was one of many like this. There is a delay on the camera and Jack would turn and look at the tree every time.

Jack had so much fun playing with Gram, Pappy and Nana.

This was Christmas morning. Jack got a Jumperoo. He loves it. (not shown)

Lucy's favorite gift was her pug Webkin and Mady Kate's was her "chocolate baby" Cocoa.

This was taken about 2 minutes before they went into the living room to see their toys. All of the adults had to go to the bathroom, make the coffee and start the video camera.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas as well. Please keep us in your prayers as we have many big decisions ahead of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!