Sunday, December 31, 2017

Merry Christmas 2017

Hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas season...


Here's our card... It's never too late to send us a card. We take them down mid-January and pray for people on the cards during morning prayers. 


This is how our Christmas is shaking out...


We got the tree up and lit on the 23rd... Lee wanted it decorated before we left for church on the 24th but that didn't exactly happen. 


Matching sure makes packing up a whole lot easier... Christmas church clothes, Christmas day clothes and Christmas pajamas - and I didn't even have to hunt down the Christmas pajamas because.... I remembered where I packed them!


Christmas was interesting this year since it was on a Sunday. We had liturgy that morning at 9 and then we shot over to my parents for lunch and then went to Lee's brother's for a few hours before vesperal divine liturgy. It worked out well. It was just a lot of church for a 2 yr old and a 6 month old. 

Then it was back to Grammy and Grandpa Joe's...


This year will go down as their biggest tree. It has gotten raving reviews


The early bird gets the Bumbo seat


And laughs with Grandpa Joe


The kids did not sleep in as much as we would have hoped but oh well. We didn't bother wrapping A's scooter so he had a big time riding it around the house. I think Uncle Kev might have even taken it for a spin. 


Obligatory kids pic... We actually held them off until after breakfast - which I should take a picture of. Two egg bakes and crumb cake - I'd be good with a day full of breakfast and mimosas and the occasional present. Fun times. Good food. Great family (Hi Nicole!).


I took a nod from Rosie and put something other than candy in the kids stockings (candy too) but there is SO MUCH candy so A was super content with yogurt raisins and I think those might make a comeback in Easter baskets. They are perfect for school snacks and lunches too.


All the presents were unwrapped and Grammy arranged some matchy-matchy. Then Uncle Kev and A and C and me went to visit my grandparents who recently relocated to the area. That was a short but nice visit. My grandfather strolled out to the front desk of the community and let everyone know that these were his great-grandchildren. Definitely made the visit worth it. 

Then after rests we regrouped for dinner and quick desserts (I wish we could stay longer to visit) we loaded up the Transitasaurs and headed home. 

The next day we headed over for Second Day of Christmas festivities with Lee's side of the fam-mee. 


Another day filled with fun, family and food. The cousins all went down to the park which was really neat. College aged down to mother's morning out aged - we've got some really great big kid cousins. There was lots of excitement and lots of paper and presents too. 


Another family pic!

As we continue to celebrate the Reason for the Season, it has been struggle for me personally with all the stuff. I feel like our house is bursting at the seams from the generosity of our family and friends. I need to take a step back from it all and remember what we are celebrating and why. It is my hope that our kids will also not forget the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the wrapping paper and stockings. One of them asked 'when are we going to do Christmas at our house?' and I could have screamed. What she meant was when are we going to open presents - LIKE YOU NEED MORE PRESENTS. I tried to calmly explain that Christmas is not something you do, it is something you celebrate. And opening a ton of presents has very little to do with the babe in the manger. Anyone else struggle making that connection with kids? Enlighten me... 

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