Oklahoma Part 3 - Thankmas

Very similar to what we did last year we again celebrated Thankmas while in Oklahoma. Luckily our hotel had an empty breakfast room that we were able to use as a private living room. The only thing we were missing was a Christmas tree.

I only took pictures of the gifts that the kids received - but don't think this was one sided! We all had previously been assigned another relative to buy a gift for. Happily, Eric had me so I received a Louisiana cookbook (looking forward to the Turtle Soup...if only I could find Turtle meat).

I did get one shot of a gift that Aunt Rene got, I'm sure she's perfectly fine with me posting it.

Eric and Rene also gave Jamison Superman shirts. Obviously, Jamie was thrilled that his muscles returned after mysteriously disappearing November 1 when his Halloween costume went in the wash.

He was thrilled to get a puzzle that made noises - I love the look on his face and I'm so glad I caught it.

Here he is happy again for getting a Little People airplane. What's funny is that we already have this airplane, so you wouldn't think there would be much excitement for getting a gift you already have. But he was and ever since we've had two there has been ZERO arguing between them over who gets the airplane.

And then there was Lily. Lily is a serious kid as it is but she took it to another level for Thankmas. You would think that her huge imagination would make her a little more lighthearted but that's a big no. So her happiness after receiving each gift was buried deep (way deep. as in, almost absent) in her heart. It gets to the point of being rude and I'm hoping that it's a phase that she snaps out of.

Uh oh. You're almost smiling Lily. Keep. It. Inside. Do not show your love of your new stroller that you've been begging me for.

Oh good, you have it under control. Absolutely no emotion is showing. What a lovely Christmas!

That's right! Show your complete apathy in your eyes as well as your facial expression! Way to bring it all together.

Wait a minute. What is this? I think I saw this at the end of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. A SMILE! A cheek-bursting smile! Later that week she proceeded to practically finish all that glitter glue on one project. Grandma's dining room table was almost sacrificed in the name of Lily's art but luckily it was saved.

Karan and Jim gave Lily a beautiful locket that she loved. Sometimes she doesn't doesn't show her excitement over something because she is completely overwhelmed by the situation. Most of the time I can discern if she is being rude or if she is just overwhelmed and when she received the locket, she was just overwhelmed.

True happiness!