Christmas

I usually am REALLY good at getting pictures of almost everything...except this Christmas! I was busy doing so many things...and enjoying the moments that I missed a lot of great moments on film. However, I am telling myself that living them without ruining them with the camera are better! It doesn't help with the blog though!

Christmas was a little different this year. WE hosted everyone at our house. We usually visit our families...but with Colten due soon and all the travelling in November, we thought it was best for us to spend Christmas in our own home this year. We told everyone that if they wanted to, they could come stay with us...and that's what they did!

Brian's brother, John, was the first to arrive at our house on Sunday. He lives the closest and had off work the whole week. We are very happy that John lives close and can visit whenever he has a day off....especially since living in Hawaii made it hard for him and Brian to get together!

Brian's parents, Bill and Mary, arrived on Tuesday night with lots of food and gifts! We spent Christmas Eve baking cookies, a cheesecake and chicken and dumplings for dinner. We went to the Christmas Eve service at First Church and then hung stockings for Santa to fill. Austin went to bed and the rest of us hung out and waited for my mom (Patti), sister (Amanda), and brother (Jimmy) to arrive. They arrived after midnight (by that time only Brian and I were up...the others just couldn't make it!), unpacked the car and visited briefly before we all headed to bed.

The magic of Santa was so apparent this year. Austin loved any movie with Santa in it and even heard his bells before falling asleep on Christmas Eve. It was so fun to see his eyes light up anytime he talked about the Big Guy!

Christmas Morning was fun with Austin having to wait for all the adults to wake up and head to the living room to see his reaction. He was bouncing all over our room and was so excited to open gifts and see what was in his stocking! In fact, he woke up and said, "Mommy! Santa came!" before he even got out of his bed. (He slept in our room so his Nana, Aunt and Uncle could sleep in his room).

After we opened gifts and had breakfast, we all just sat around for a while and rested before the rest of the day's activities. Lunch was snack foods, appetizers, and other little things. Then, the food for dinner got started and we waited for Brian's older brother, Matt, and his family (Paula, Nathan and Anna) to arrive. Paula's niece was baptized on Christmas day, so they stayed in Little Rock so they could be apart of that celebration, then they traveled to Springdale that afternoon.

Dinner was prepared and served...and then gifts were given AGAIN. There was so much going on that I got very few pictures of this!

The time came when my Mom, sister and brother had to leave to go back home. They had a long drive and it was going to be late when they got in. The rest of the night was spent visiting with each other as much as possible. Nathan, the poor boy, got sick and had to spend the rest of the night in a guest room with Paula (poor mom...as Anna had already been sick a few days earlier).

The next day, everyone left and it was just the three of us again. We watched movies, napped, and rested after a very fun couple of days. That afternoon, it was so nice outside that I let Austin put on some shorts and his crocs and we played out in the backyard until dinner. I couldn't believe we could actually wear shorts the day after Christmas!

As you can see, we had a wonderful Christmas and hope that you did too!!!!