Our Happy Holidays

We had a very enjoyable holiday here at our house. So much so that I had a very hard time narrowing down which pictures to share. I finally decided on my favorites and here they are, along with a little back story. Not to bore you with all of the little details, but here is the basic outline of what our Christmas looked like. Christmas Eve was spent at my in-laws, where we ate a huge meal and then played games and such until about 11:30 when we let the kids open gifts. The adults always wait until midnight before opening gifts. It was nice to have much of my husband's extended family on his mom's side there to join us. Apparently if we followed their old traditions, dinner would not start until midnight and then they opened presents. But, now that there are so many little ones I guess that is too impractical. Around 1:15 we headed home and set out cookies for Santa before putting the kids to bed. Then, because he had been up since 5 the morning before for work, Chris went to bed and I stayed up getting everything ready until 3. We woke the kids up at 9 so that we would have time to have our own Christmas together before heading over to my mom and dad's for breakfast at 11. We ate pancakes and biscuits and gravy and then unwrapped presents. The rest of Christmas day was spent being lazy and opening new toys. We headed over to Tim and Lili's ( my in-laws) for dinner (leftovers) and then spent the next day recovering and putting away gifts. Let me just say that there were a ton of gifts. Every year I think that amount of "stuff" will get toned down and every year it doesn't. But, I am very grateful for grandparents who keep our kids in nice clothes and the coolest new toys! I am also very grateful for all of the clothes Chris got, they were much needed, as well as my new purse, ipod, and new sheets! I know, I know, I shouldn't have asked for sheets for Christmas but I really did need them and I didn't want to buy them myself.

Chris had most of the week off and we spent lots of time at home with the kids watching movies and playing Hungry Hungry Hippos. Then on New Year's Eve we got a babysitter and went out with some friends. Chris recently joined the local Moose Lodge and so that was where we went. Dinner and all you can drink for $25! I must say even though it wouldn't have been my first choice, the food was good, and it was much cheaper than anywhere else we could have gone. Plus, around 10:30 they brought out a whole table full of hors' dourves and munchies to soak up all of the alcohol. We rang in the new year together and then went home! Our babysitter ended up spending the night, even though she could have driven herself home. I felt much better about her staying though. Even though I am sure she is a very capable driver, I don't trust all those drunk drivers on New Year's Eve. (FYI, we didn't drive. My friend who is still nursing and didn't drink drove us home.)

So, that is what I have been doing around here. Nothing much but enjoying my family, and trying to live in the moments. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday, I have been spending some time trying to catch up with all of you! I am sorry if I haven't left comments. SO, without further ado, here are some of my favorite pictures from my Christmas break...

Here are the five of us on Christmas Eve

Dee Dee

Reagan

Jack

My three kiddos in their jammies

Cookies for Santa

Me and my hubby on New Year's Eve