Christmas 2013

We usually open gifts at my dad and Trudi's early on Christmas day, but always say "some day" we'll start having them at home, because it always means we rush through our little family's morning together.  We realized this was already Paige's 8th Christmas, so this was the year we started.  We woke up early but not too early.  Cason was first up, and as usual popped out of bed in a great mood.  

He woke us up...

 

....not everyone popped happily out of bed...

 ...and asked to go check on the roof, to see if the reindeer had eaten their carrots,  

 

which they had.
 

Then we got to the gifts.  

 

Their stockings had a few little goodies.  

Neely was SOOOO happy to get her own marbles.

 

 Her main gift from us (though she hadn't opened it yet) was her own baby doll "wif eyes that cwose when she sweeps", so I put a couple of bottles in her stocking.

 Turns out she doesn't need bottles.  I should have known.  Haha!

 She uses them too sometimes though.  She definitely put them to use on Christmas Day, along with the baby food from Aunt Mollie and Uncle Tim, and the stroller from Grannybob.

She changed many a diaper(I had to hold her baby's feet up) and burped and sweetly soothed her baby.

We relaxed around the house for a couple of nice hours. 

Santa brought the big three each a Harry Potter wand.

We had such a nice, slow morning.  The kids played together with their new toys.

Paige tested out her main gift.

She already knew about hers, thanks to a certain younger female in the house.  We threw in a cute basket and spoke beads so there would be SOME surprise.

The kids presented US with gifts, including a painting from Neely.

and a poem (not a poem-but for the life of me I can't think of what these are called) by Paige.

Reed watched it all happen from his seat on my lap.

He had a few goodies himself, but didn't much care.

 Later in the morning we walked down to the Austins' house for a little get together with them too.

We also had a nice dinner at Aunt Mollie and Uncle Tim's house, but as usual I left my phone in the diaper bag and forgot pictures.  :(  

It was the nicest Christmas yet.

December

December flew by.  I'm a little sad about that.  As always, I had all these plans that never quite happened.  Making ornaments, decorating sugar cookies(although Connie had us over to make some of those at HER house, thankfully)


I planned on gingerbread houses, crafts, and just lots more listening to Christmas music. We did have a LOT of peppermint hot cocoa and other random chocolatey and pepperminty treats though.  Mostly at home, but a couple of times we picked Paige up and instead of an after school snack at home we got drive through hot chocolate(or chocolate milk for the weirdos who didn't want it hot)

Reed and I did enjoy the Christmas tree each night while Jess read stories to the big kids at bedtime.  Reed would stare at it and smile.

The big three have been awesome about crafting all on their own lately though.  Even when I was busy feeding Reed, they would get out the stuff and make up their own Christmas crafts, or just draw.  

Cason did the sweetest little Nativity of all time, that I still can't believe.

Speaking of Cason's crafts, it wasn't a Christmas one, but he made a medal for Reed to wear.  He's a gold medalist in being cute.

We went to church to watch the Polar Express one weekend, and the kids met Santa.  Every one of them did it this year.  Nobody chickened out or cried.  :)  Cason was a little shy, and Reed was mildly interested in Santa.

 

 

He was one loveable Santa.  He obviously really liked kids, and was especially happy to hold Reed.  So I love the man.

Then we went home and took some pictures together.

Oh, and Reed was loveable.

We tried to spend a little more time outside.  For some reason there was a lot of tying up of Cason.

Still played lots inside too.  Neely convinced Cason to dance a lot.

One day Grama Trudi took the granddaughters on a date, so my boys and I had some alone time.  It was fun.  Cason got to move up to the middle row and sit next to Reed, which pleased him greatly.

We cruised all over town, got some Panda Express for lunch, and went hunting for Reed's first ornament.  All of the kids have one of those "Baby's First Christmas" Ornaments with the baby sleeping on the moon. 

We tried several places, and finally gave up, accepted that I'd have to order one online, and went for a hot cocoa instead.

It was so nice having some alone time with my little men, even if one of them did sleep through the whole thing.

Then the girls came home, being secretive about what crafty things they'd been doing in preparation for Christmas.

A few days later Jess started his Christmas break.  We loved having him home, and did lots of relaxing together.

 

 

 Apparently took brother selfies...

...and some of us napped.

 Christmas Eve rolled around, and we started the day with Santa pancakes.  (I saw them online somewhere and Jess made it happen)

This year for my dad's birthday/Christmas Eve we all went bowling(I took no pictures) and then back to Dad and Trudi's for gifts with the Bradleys and Cassons.

 

Reed met his aunt Cassie for the first time that day.  (He shares her birthday)

Then we went to church, and back for the kids to open their gifts from Grampa and Grama Trudi.  They also had some fun with their cousins and aunties.

Then we headed home to put out cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer, and got cozy in the living room to fall asleep to the Grinch who Stole Christmas.  

 

I will be back tomorrow with a Christmas post.  :)