Christmas highlights

Couldn't let December slip away without posting some pictures of our Christmas celebrations! We like to open our presents to/from our immediate little family (Doug, Eli, and myself) at home in our own celebration, so we did that last Wednesday. On Thursday, we went to Pa and Meme's house (Doug's parents) for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; came home to Katy Sat evening. On Sunday, we went to my Mom's house for opening presents with my side of the family! Oh, and forgot to mention, had Christmas with my extended family the previous Saturday. Whew! It's tiring just writing it all out. It was wonderful spending time with our families, but also wonderful to be home too. When Eli is off his routine, it makes me tense, even though I try to be all relaxed-mom-not-superfreak-about-routines. But as I have learned, EVERYONE does better on a routine! (I'm chasing rabbits here, better get back on topic. I'm getting into a whole other blog topic!)

Christmas Eve has always had a sort of "magical" feel about it for me, ever since childhood. This year, I felt like I lost a little bit of that feeling, and that makes me sad! I know it can't be, or feel, just like it did when I was a child - but I want it to. I think as E gets older and we establish more routines at our home for Christmas, I can re-capture some of that special eve feeling. Can't wait for E to understand more and more every year what Christmas is really all about!

On to the pictures.....

Ever since we were engaged, we have read the Christmas story from the Bible before we open presents. Now we use the Bible that we signed during our wedding ceremony. This picture shows how interested a 15 month old is in listening to a story with lots of words and no pictures.....

One of his presents from mom and dad - a shopping cart and pretend food! He loved it. Eli also got an aqua doodle and little rocking chair that looks like a little recliner.

Opening presents at Pa and Meme's house...

After three attempts, all looking like this, of trying to get a nice Christmas Eve picture of the three cousins, I gave up.

Candlelight Christmas Eve service at Doug's parent's church. Yes, I had my camera in church. I didn't use a flash and just took a couple, I promise.

Santa Came! Santa Came! Santa brought Eli Mike the chomping lawn mower, a little train on a small track, and some toy cars in his stocking!

Christmas at mom's house. My sister is so mean - she knows Grace HATES feet, so she and Phil thought this white elephant gift of a prosthetic foot was perfect for her. We don't usually give W.Elephant to family, this one present was an exception.

Nice pic of Laura and Collin.

My little dude, finally getting a chance to wear his winter coat.

A quick shot of our little family!

I hope YOUR Christmas was just as wonderful!