This year, sickness did NOT plague our house over Christmas!! I was so thankful. I was just starting to feel better, morning sickness wise, and actually was starting to have some energy back!
We went to Christmas Eve service early and headed over to my parent's house for Christmas Eve dinner. This year it was my parent's year to have everyone at home. Adam and I decided before we even had kids that once we had them, we would always wake up in our own home Christmas morning. So the plan was to let my mom host Christmas Eve at her house and I would host everyone Christmas Day.
One tradition, started when we were growing up, is to open on gift on Christmas Eve.
Of course we have continued this for Lyla.
It is always cute pajamas to wake up in on Christmas morning. This year I included a board book about the Christmas story and a Christmas movie for us to watch together. This year it was Veggie Tales "Little Drummer Boy". Perfect for Christmas!
She loved it! I love the idea of starting a Christmas book collection as well as a Christmas movie collection, so that we can enjoy them the whole month of December!
Another long standing tradition is lighting the luminaries! I love this tradition and love how the neighborhood looks so beautiful all lit up with these soft glowing luminaries. It is just so calm and pretty. You can just drive around and think about what happened on this night those many years ago. Having had a baby, I cannot imagine delivering in a stable. But beyond that, Mary got to look into the eyes of her Savior. That little baby would grow up and someday save her. I just cannot fathom. Such a miracle.
Lyla enjoyed helping Gramps light each and every one.
Such sweet memories. I did this with my dad growing up and will always remember.
It is just so beautiful. So peaceful. Such a Silent Night.
My dad and two of his girls.
My beautiful sisters.
The girls.
Lyla was not interested in taking pictures. Two year olds.
Love my sweet girl and love how she loves her daddy. Literally my heart!
My love.
My sweet family. Can't believe there will be another one in our family next year!!
Dan and Allison.
My favs.
All snug in her jammies. Ready to see sugar plums dance in her dreams!
The girls with Nana.
My cute parents.
Dan and Allison with their girl, Marley. Or 'Marney' as Lyla calls her.
We went home and got Lyla in bed so that we could make sure everything was ready for the morning. Everyone would be over first thing in the morning to open gifts and enjoy brunch. We decided that we wanted a little bit of time with just our little family for Lyla to look through her stocking and play with her gifts on her chair. I will treasure that time. Next year it won't be just Lyla. While that makes me a little sad, I am SO excited to see her with her brother or sister and grow our family!
Her chair with her stocking and 'santa' gifts.
My mom still does a chair and stocking for Sarah. Once she finds someone and gets married, she will be cut off just like the rest of us ;) So my mom sent me home with Sarah's goodies so they could be set out as well!
I love how pretty everything looks under the tree! We are more than blessed and received more than we deserve!
Traditional pictures on the stairs. Please ignore the awful floral carpet!!
Hopefully that won't be around too much longer!!
Sweet sweet girl. Gosh. It is just amazing how she has my heart.
Lyla wanted to take some pictures of us!
Ellie wanted to be included too.
Wearing my new pjs from my mom! She still does that tradition for us too and I love it!
Ready to check out her gifts!
Belle.
Little People princess castle. She loves this!
Checking out her stocking.
Cinderella panties.
Cinderella toothbrush.
Sophia the First chapstick.
'YUM'!! (or gum as we call it ;) )
Sarah checking out her goodies!
It was so great having Sarah home. I am so happy for her and her new job in Dallas, but it still makes my heart so sad not having her close. So much time goes by in between our visits, but that definitely makes them that much sweeter. We love our Sarah!
Cute dress!
Christmas Morning!!
Lyla LOVED helping everyone open every single gift. I love that she gets so excited about helping them unwrap their gifts. She barely gives them a second to look at what is inside and then is ready to move on to the next present and person.
Helping Mimi.
Dan and Allison.
We have always gone around in a circle and opened gifts one at a time. We love giving each person their moment to enjoy opening their gift. It also makes Christmas morning last a little bit longer ;)
Gramps checking out his new shirt.
The BELLE dress!
Of course the dress had to go on as soon as it was opened.
Accessories are a must for a princess.
Love this girl.
Two Belles.
Dan enjoying his new shirt.
Rapunzel doll and cup from Aunt Sarah.
Think we like princesses at our house?
New purse for Allison!
Mimi and Gramps gave Lyla her first Bitty Baby doll! Look at how well she is holding her. She is going to be a great big sister and a huge help!!
Gramps and Lyla snuggling while waiting for breakfast after a fun morning of opening gifts.
We had a yummy breakfast of breakfast casseroles and grits.
We spent the afternoon playing games outside. Dan got Kan Jam and we had fun playing that as well as Corn Hole.
Then we enjoyed a yummy dinner. It was so great celebrating with my family and having every one over at our house. I am not sure how Christmas will always look for us as we add more people and family, but as long as we can be together and have lots of laughs, I will be happy!
We headed to Adam's parents' house for the weekend after Christmas. Jonathan, Kara, Dalton and David were able to be there as well. It was so great having Adam's whole family together. That hardly happens, so it was so nice being all together at his parent's house.
We got the cousins matching jammies. These two are too cute.
Christmas morning all over again!! Every little kid's dream!
Ready to open presents. We wanted to get a couple of pictures of them before they got distracted with all the fun gifts...but as you can see, Dalton was ready! And Lyla was wondering why she was not opening a gift as well! Haha.
Ready to open!! At Donna and Steve's usually everyone just opens their gifts all at the same time and then everyone just shows what they got when everyone is done.
Gift opening goes much quicker! But this year we let the kids go to town and open all their gifts and then the adults took their time opening gifts once they were all done. I liked that. Makes it enjoyable to watch everyone open their gifts. That is the most fun for me. I love watching everyone open their gifts.
Sweet Dalton.
More Christmas jammies! I think I had brought these for her to open the night before, but decided her and Dalton would be cute in their matching pjs.
Reading his new book.
A princess must always have her crown on ;)
Pink cowgirl boots!
New toys are always so much fun!
PRINCESS BARBIES! Thanks Uncle David!
An adorable rocking chair from Pawpaw and Honey.
I think they found these in Kentucky. I think they are Amish built?? She loves it and sits in it all the time. It is the perfect size and super cute!
Dalton loves his momma!
And a little wardrobe change.... Ariel showed up at the party!
Cousins rocking in their rocking chairs.
Magnet dolls and puzzles!
Time to check out the stockings!
We did some shopping, eating, laughing and enjoyed being all together.
It is not very often we are all together, like I said, especially since Jonathan and Kara moved to Florida. We are all just so spread out. It makes me sad that Dalton and Lyla don't get to see each other all that often, but I love how well they get along and play when they do get to see each other. They love each other so much. And I cannot believe we will be adding two more little ones to the bunch next year!
PawPaw and Honey with their grandkids.
Monkey see....
Monkey do....Haha!
Love Christmas time with my family!
Kara, Dalton and Jonathan.
Another Christmas season has come and gone. This time of the year my heart is so full of love, laughter and family. I love us all being together, I love staying up late laughing, playing games, eating good food and listening to Christmas music. It all just makes me so happy. But even if I did not have all of that, the fact that God sent His only Son as a baby to SAVE us is completely enough for me to enjoy this season. May I remember that all year long. Merry Christmas!
No comments:
Post a Comment