Christmas Eve

We woke up Christmas Eve morning at my in-laws house.  We arrived the night before.  Andrew left work early afternoon and we made the drive back to Decatur.  We had to drive separately because the boys and I were staying the week, and he had to go back to Pittsfield for some work.  

When we got to my in-laws on Monday night my sweet nieces were there and Hudson and Beau could not have been more excited to see them and Aunt Jaci.  I've talked about how close our kids are (Hudson and Lila two months a part; Beau and Paisley two weeks a part) so they are the perfect playmates.  Mimi's (to the grandkids, Vickie to the rest of us) house smelled wonderful. She had fresh baked sugar cookies and she and Jaci and made some yummy candies.  Andrew even talked her into making peanut clusters.  Me, still trying to stick to as clean eating as possible, immediately saw temptation every but didn't overindulge (too much! Ha!)

One of the things we miss most about home are all the yummy places to eat, one being Andrew's grandparent's pizza shop- Del Carmen's.  It is so so so good and Vickie had it ready for us for dinner.  It was such a treat.  All the kids devoured it, especially sweet Paise!

On Christmas Eve, I woke up and since I had made a breakfast casserole ahead of time, I popped that in the oven to bake while everyone slept.  Once everyone woke up we shared breakfast and the got ready for the day.  We played all morning.  Hudson and I baked a birthday cake for Jesus for later that night.  We chose a candy cane cake from our favorite cake site.  

Jaci and the girls showed up mid-morning to play. Uncle Aaron had to work that morning before heading our way.  We attempted some family pictures too.  Those were a bit of a flop! :)

  

Once Aaron and the boys' great-grandparents arrived, we ate lunch and then the present opening began. 

Lila and Hudson were SO into it! It was so much fun to hear their shrieks and giggles. Now I could upload the hundred thousand pictures I took but I will just upload some favorites.

After the present opening, more visiting, lots of snacking, we packed up some of our things and headed to meet my parents and brother and sister in law at church.  I love love LOVE Christmas Eve service.  I love the way the church looks.  I love being with our church family on such a special night.  I love all the music. And of course, my favorite part, the candle lighting during Silent Night to close the service.  This year our pastor read the most wonderful story.  It was perfect.  The church was dim. Beau snuggled in and was totally content on Aunt Tori's lap.  And Hudson, my big two and a half year old, snuggled in and fell asleep in my arms.  Perfect. Night.

We left church and headed to my parents.  We had dinner with them and then cut the cake Hudson and I made earlier.  We put in candles in the cake (which Hudson blew out immediately he was so stinkin' excited!) and sang happy birthday to Jesus.  I hope we always strive to put the focus for this holiday on it's true meaning.  

Since they had already had baths before cake, we moved right on to a tradition as old as me.  Every Christmas Eve my brothers and I were allowed to open one gift. And every year we opened up a new set of Christmas jammies.  As we got older those pajamas became less holiday themed and more comfort based but this tradition is one I knew I would carry into my future family.  Even before kids, Andrew and I would open up one present Christmas Eve, gifting one another with pajamas.  When we had Hudson, I think I was more excited about this part of Christmas than any other.  

So we sat in front of the tree and the boys opened up their gifts.  I got their pajamas from Pottery Barn Kids this year.  I absolutely loved these classic pajamas.  Hudson had the Elf on the Shelf art on his from the book and Beau's had the classic Santa, snowman, and other winter items on his onesie.  

After they were all snuggly, we had one more tradition.  We read the Christmas story using this wonderful children's pop-up book we got when we were pregnant with Hudson. It was truly a wonderful Christmas Eve with our families.  I will always remember their smiles, giggles, and just how blessed I felt.  

December Post #1

I hate trying to think of titles for my posts.  I am just not good at it.  I want them to be witty, or appealing, or inspiring, or something.  Today's is not.  I'm ok with it.  Let's just look back together, shall we?

This year it was my goal to do something each day/night of December.  I choose various fun activities with some acts of kindness thrown in there too.  I want my boys to grow up with a firm knowledge that Christmas is not about what we receive but also how to give.  I get so much joy watching others open gifts that I have chosen for them.  It truly makes me happy.  But I also want to teach my boys to bless others, people that serve our community, strangers, anyone.  And of course, more than anything, that the truest reason for the season is our Savior's birth and how that changed everything for us all.  In addition to our activities we read a verse or two of Scripture each night.

Via this blog (couldn't find her original post of it)

My goal was to take a picture of each advent activity but that didn't happen.  What I realized as the advent season went on, that doing an advent calendar and stressing about it wasn't the point.  If we missed an activity, or had to do it on another night, so be it.  That was sure better than me screaming at my kids or yelling at Andrew or ending up stressed because it wasn't going to plan.  When we did fit in our activities, it was really special.  I am so thankful that we took time throughout the month to pause and enjoy our family.  To share Christmas movies with Hudson and Beau that Andrew and I love; to bake goodies with them; to shop for our troops; to send treats to our mailman.  Whatever we did it was fun to make the season more magical, more meaningful. 

I'm already looking forward to next year's calendar and the memories we will continue to make with our boys!

In no particular order...a look back this advent season:

We decorated our large window with gel clings.  The boys LOVED those things and surprisingly, didn't ever pull them off!

Making snow donuts to watch with a Christmas movie later that evening. 

He loved adding the face and buttons 

Jack..some days he was sillier than others ;)

Beau couldn't always make it to the end of our evenings 

Dance party to Christmas music 

We went with our nieces to Chuck E Cheese.  It was our first time. It may have been our last! HA

Making stockings 

Salt dough ornaments 

A snow package from Mimi 

A look back--Thanksgiving weekend

I can not believe it's already 2014. But before I can look forward, I have to look back.  So much has gone on these past few months that kept me away from this blog I love so dearly. I know I have to get it all down.  Time passes so quickly with these little ones that I want to be able to look back always and remember these special times.

Thanksgiving was a whirlwind for us.  This was the first year we lived farther than 15 minutes from family so having to drive home was new.  I packed us all up on Tuesday night and finished Wednesday morning.  It was a crazy busy day for my business so even though we planned to get on the road mid afternoon, neither Andrew or I's schedule allowed.  It ended up working out because we got to feed the boys, dress them in jammies and get them cuddled in before we trekked home.  Once we got to my parents house, we unloaded the car, got the boys in, and then this mama headed over for some much needed girl time with some of my best mommy friends (minus one, sadly).  We shared a cocktail, snacks, did our nails, gabbed about our kids, our husbands, and everything under the sun.  It is one of the biggest blessings in my life to have friends that I can be absolutely myself with.  No judgement ever, about anything.  I pray every woman has a group of friends like that.

The next day we woke up, had breakfast with my parents, and watched the parade with boys in between getting ready for lunch with Andrew's side. I love the parade.  Hudson wasn't as intrigued; only during certain parts, usually the music and if he recognized the balloons. Beau napped through the whole thing! :)

While we didn't get to see my siblings, we got to see all of Andrew's mom's side at his grandparents' house.  I absolutely love Grandma Martha.  She is such a sweet lady, so petite, and fashion forward, and fun! She makes delicious food and her house is always so warm! The boys got to play with their cousins, Lila and Paisley.  They also got to play with their second cousin, Eli, who is 5.  They were all so fun to listen to run around and giggle and wrestle.  I am so glad my boys have family they can call friends.

After lunch we went to see Andrew's other grandma and grandpa.  We love Don and Jo equally.  She is a woman of many talents that I feel are lost.  She is the one who made Hudson's baby quilt and curtains for his nursery. She is an excellent cook, sews beautiful things.  I just love to soak up what she knows.  I may or may not have many details of our little visit because I may or may not have snoozed in their recliner all wrapped up in a blanket.  It was heaven!

After that we began our way back home.  It was such a quick trip.  As much as I hate quick trips, we had so many fun things planned for the boys that weekend.

Andrew had Friday off which was really nice.  We grocery shopped, put up our outdoor lights and decorations, finished raking our leaves! (Don't judge!)  We put up Hudson's tree in his room and he was so excited to look at his ornaments that he has collected in his short 2.5 years! He kept saying, "I'm just looking at this because I love it." Gah! The things they say!!

On Saturday the boys woke up to find a special breakfast in honor of our elf arriving from the North Pole.  Our elf came last year too and we weren't sure if Hudson would remember but oh my word he absolutely did and was so stinkin' excited!

They ate snow donuts, candy cane fruit and had hot chocolate (read room temperature).  I read the Elf on the Shelf story to them and Hudson officially named our elf, Jack!

Then they got to open the presents that the Jack brought.  New Christmas jammies and the Polar Express.  Hudson was obsessed with this movie last Christmas but we didn't own it.  

Um yes that is a massive basket of laundry that needs folded and yes Hudson is in his underwear.  He was half asleep when he had went to the bathroom that morning. You figure it out ;)

We finally got around to getting ready because our day was not yet over! We decided after our lights going out on our artificial tree last year that this year we were going to try our hand at a real one.  I was further convinced this fall when we visited the best pumpkin patch and also found out they were a Christmas tree farm.  The experience did not disappoint.  But before we went there, we had to do a little Christmas shopping while in Springfield, and also go out to lunch.  (Our town has about two little restaurants so needless to say we eat at home almost always.  Going out is a HUGE treat for us, especially this mama who needs a break from cooking every once in awhile!)

After our shopping and lunch, the boys were definitely ready to pick out our tree.  It was really fun to walk the farm to find one, and then watch Andrew cut it down.  Another family offered to get our picture which I was so thankful for.  We rarely take a photo of our whole clan.

After securing our tree, picking out a free new ornaments, and getting some evergreen branches for our window boxes, we were ready to head back home.  The boys fell asleep before we hit the interstate.  We spent the rest of our  night putting up and decorating our tree.  Our weekend unfortunately ended with Andrew getting the stomach bug but it didn't matter. We still watched Polar Express, the first event on our advent calendar and our little home was decorated for Christmas.  That is something I look forward to all year!!

Jammies from Jack, our elf