Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Christmas 2016

We celebrated Christmas with both sides of our family and had a wonderful time doing it!  The week leading up to Christmas was rough...really rough.  It started off with an emergency room visit for William as his latest Superman stunt earned him three staples in the head.  The whole ordeal was about as fun as you'd imagine and we were just so thankful it wasn't worse.  Once things calmed down from that fiasco my sister and I took the children to the Festival of Lights at the zoo, which concluded with a wicked stomach bug taking down me and the kids, one by one like sad little dominos.  Momming when you're sick is completely miserable but momming sick kids when you're sick is about the worst.  But luckily the kids bounced back quickly and I wasn't too far behind them.

Festival of Lights, a few hours before we all got sick (Henry was giving strong signs here..)

We kicked off our Christmas festivities on Christmas Eve at my brother and his newly minted finacee's home for dinner.  We didn't see them on Christmas day so it was special to be able to see them to exchange gifts, celebrate their engagement and eat an amazing dinner.  The wheels fell off at a predictable time so Tom and I threw the kids in the car and got them just in time for bed.  Reese and I decorated our cookies for Santa and she was curious and excited climbing into bed that night (which turned out to be the last night she ever slept in her crib...which is another story for another time).








After Reese was in bed Santa got busy and excitedly put the presents under the tree.  Definitely a mental pat on the back for wrapping presents early this year so we could enjoy a stress free evening. We relaxed with some red wine and Christmas Vacation...the perfect Christmas Eve!


We didn't go overboard with gifts this year (and actually we never do) and as always I'm glad we didn't.  The kids were just excited enough and although the boys didn't really know what was going on, it was a ton of fun to experience Reese's first Christmas where she was truly excited and happy about her gifts.  After opening presents we enjoyed a fancy bacon breakfast and playing with the new toys.  We host Christmas Day dinner every year and I always make Pioneer Woman's lasagna, so as the kids happily played I snuck off here and there to get a head start on dinner and frantically pick up the house.






Our families showed up in the afternoon and we had such a great time I barely took any pictures.  William refused to sit in his high chair or let anyone hold him but me so I basically spent the entire time holding him, but it's all good because I still had one whole hand free for wine :)  Holidays can be so stressful and exhausting and although it was certainly hectic (I mean, what isn't hectic with three toddlers) I am immensely grateful that we get to celebrate with all our family.  The fact that not everyone gets to do this isn't lost on me so I certainly savor every moment we have.  Merry Merry!



2 comments:

  1. It looks like you had such a good Christmas! Love your stockings on the fireplace:)

    happilyevergriedlscom.wordpress.com

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    1. Thank you! Would you believe my mother in law made them all?!

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