I am finally making the Christmas entry.
Christmas Eve we made cookies, including the letters S-A-N-T-A to leave for Santa.

The girls also had magic reindeer food (oats with glitter) to leave on the front porch for Rudolph and the others. The kids were asleep by 9:30pm. They woke up about 8am Christmas morning. Rene had asked Santa for a French dictionary, Corrina asked for FAO triplets (neglecting to specify that she meant the triplets plus the $400 of accessories included in the picture in the catalog!), and Hank wanted trains. Here's what Santa left and a list of their presents from other people:


RENE:
Santa: Lite Brite cube, French and Spanish dictionaries.
Stocking: "Rene" stamp, bath foam, Care Bear pillowcase, Care Bear beanie, pantyhose, catchable bubbles, toothbrush, umbrella
Mom & Dad: Fairy ornament, Treasure Hunt maze book, Secrets of the Maze book, red sequin shirt, rainbow scarf
Hendersons: "Polar Express", bath set
Ann Capalbo: Hooded warm-up outfit
Uncle John: 2 coloring books - Indians, purple teddy bear
Marlene Cassidy: Trouble game, Clue Jr. game
Uncle Joe & Aunt Val: Spongebob Play Station game
Corrina: bubble gum


CORRINA:
Santa: triplet baby dolls with bottles, pacifiers, bibs, and outfits, bouncy seat, doll stroller.
Stocking: "Corrina" Stocking: "Corrina" stamp, bath foam, Strawberry Shortcake pillowcase, umbrella, Strawberry Shortcake beanie, pink doll outfit, catchable bubbles, hair bands
Mom & Dad: Ballerina ornament, Strawberry Shortcake coloring bk, red sequin shirt, rainbow scarf, wooden house puzzle
Hendersons: "Angelina Ballerina" book, bath set
Ann Capalbo: Hooded warm-up outfit
Uncle John: 2 coloring books, bucket of play food
Marlene Cassidy: Barbie doll with Shoe Store and Pool play sets, china doll
Uncle Joe & Aunt Val: Cranium Hullaballoo game
Rene - crown


HANK:
Santa: Wooden farm set, 5 Thomas trains: Salty, Duck, barrel car, Mr.Rogers trolley,Yumsters freight car.
Stocking: "Hank" stamper, 6 pr socks, umbrella, catchable bubbles, Old McDonald's Farm finger puppet glove
Mom & Dad: Curious George ornament, Thomas LeapPad book, James & Red Balloon video, Thomas coloring book
Hendersons: "When Dinosaurs Say Goodnight", 2 matchbox cars
Ann Capalbo: corduroy outfit
Uncle John: 6 die cast cars
Marlene Cassidy: Magna Doodle, Revvin' race car
Uncle Joe & Aunt Val: Lincoln Logs - Big Valley Barn
Corrina - stress ball
Rene - play motorcycle

And for all 3 kids:
from Tony: Play Station 1 plus 3 games, "Shrek", "Spyro", "Arcade Classics"
from Gramma and Grampa: "The Paper Bag Princess" book

Betsy's gifts:
Hendersons - Slate snowman welcome sign
Miss Haubach & Mrs. Fay - Santa candy cannister
Grandaddy Butler - $500 for family
Great-Grandaddy Cecil & Liz - $500 for family
Corrina - snowman ornament, santa craft ornament, blue necklace
Rene - heart bracelet
Tony - woven decorative box, battery re-charger
Joe & Val - "Pure" book
Uncle John - "Lucky Jim" book
Cynthia - "Pumpkins & Squashes" book
Stocking - socks, stocking cap, cottage stampers, buddha figurine, AA rechargeable batteries, lottery card ($30 winner)

Tony's gifts:
Betsy & kids - 2 pairs gloves, shower CD/clock/radio
Rene - "Dad" tire gauge
Corrina - "Coolest Dad" coffee mug, assorted drawings and crafts
Joe & Val - "Benjamin Franklin" book
Uncle John - Memphis t-shirt
Ann - Hickory Farms gift box
Stocking - bowling bag cleaning bag and fluid, Mach 3 blades

They were really excited about opening presents. Corrina loved handing out presents, and Hank wanted to rip open all the presents himself. Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very well Christmas day because of problems with my insulin pump (bent needles preventing me from getting insulin) and I came very close to ending up in the hospital. But Tony did a great job of managing the kids.



Corrina was greatly disappointed that Santa did not include the $60 bunk bed for the triplets, so Betsy went to the hardware store and got some wood and concocted a triplet bunk bed. It turned out really nice considering I didn't have any plans and didn't know what I was doing. Corrina picked some pink paint for it, but it's not painted yet. Nee Nee made pillows, mattresses, fitted and flat sheets, dust ruffles, and covers for them and they are already in the mail!



Since Tony is off work from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day, he's been organizing a lot of family outings. We've seen the drive-through light display at Hartwood Acres(which the kids loved), the life-size Nativity downtown (replica of the Creche in at the Vatican), Phipps Conservatory, The History Museum, the zoo, and a Christmas party and the bowling league dinner party. We also went to our first movie theatre viewing as a family - we all went to Brother Bear at the $1 theater, and all the kids did fantastic, even Hank.
Here are a few zoo pictures

Rene and Corrina emerging from the tunnel under the sting-ray pool. Hank emerging from the twisting tree slide. Rene in front of the sea lion tank.