Christmas 2011

We decided we would spend Christmas at our own house this year. I had very mixed feelings about this. The idea of waking up in my own bed, and having my children have a great night sleep in their own bed was the driving force behind my decision. Bryan, was just excited to feel like an adult, to be in our own spot, with our own family, doing our own thing. I'll be honest and I almost cracked and had the strongest desire to pack our stuff up and head to my mom's house on Christmas Eve! After 10 years of not spending Christmas with my family, it means more to me than just about anything, to just be around them. They make me laugh, and make me happy, and they adore my children, and it feels my heart with so much joy to be around them. Family is everything. Especially after having my own children. It is magical to watch my parents with my kids. I have never seen my Dad's eyes light up as much as when he makes my Benjamin laugh! I know my parents love me...but there is something special about a Grandparent and a grandchild's love and bond...and I want my kids to spend as much time as possible with their Grandparents! Anyways...that was a longer spill than I anticipated. On to Christmas!!

Our Christmas Eve dinner. I decided I didn't want to make a big meal during Christmas day, so I cooked a lot on Christmas Eve and we had left overs on Christmas day. I highly recommend doing this!

I couldn't believe how big my rolls got!! They were gigantic and delicious!!!

Family picture before we ate!

Jamie got to suck on bones! She was a very happy little elf!

I got big hugs from my little man after he opened his pajamas!

I decided I wanted everyone to have matching pajamas for Christmas. And I love how they turned out! Especially the little kid ones! Jamie always wears footy pajamas and I loved how she looks in pants!

The whole night was just fun and happy

!

This is our 6th Christmas together. And I adore him even more now than I did then! Crazy to think that 4 Christmas' ago I was single, 3 Christmas' ago we were married, 2 Christmas' ago we had just had Benjamin, last Christmas I was pregnant with Jamie...and now I have this amazing family of 4! What a difference a few years can make!

This is us skyping with Bryan's family on Christmas Eve (the night of their big family celebration). Again, I am loving these pajamas!

This is so typical of my little boy. I can't wait to see him on Christmas morning!

Benjamin insisted that he and Dad sit on the fireplace and eat Chocolate Cookies. Oh my gosh...such a cute little moment...

And then it got even cuter, when Jamie decided she needed in on the fun, and Benjamin would break off a little piece of his cookie and feed her little bites. Can you say precious? He is a great big brother...I don't think my big brothers ever did anything like that for me...just saying.

One of Bryan's happiest moments in fatherhood...being Santa and putting this train together for Benjamin! He grew up with not-wrapped-Santa presents (different then me and wrapped Santa presents) so he wanted this train for Benjamin not wrapped, but set up and ready to be played with. It was so cute to watch him set it up. He is an amazing father!

After we got done filling the stockings and putting the presents out, we just sat and looked at our tree and thought about our kids, and listened to Christmas music. After we were done, I made him sit there a little longer so I could set up the camera and take a picture of us.

Holy cow, was this little boy excited about this train! And Benjamin was happy too! He is above and beyond obsessed with trains! And now that has a track for them...he is in heaven. He seriously didn't care about opening any other present. He just loved this!

Our happy little princess. She was really this happy all of Christmas. She's really this happy almost all the time! She is such a doll and I adore her!

This was Jamie's big present. Don't laugh at me. I don't think there is anything we could have gotten her that would have made her more happy then this box of kleenex. She sat there all of Christmas morning and happily played. I kept thinking, why waste money on things she doesn't need or care about, when all she's going to do is want to eat the paper! So I simply gave her what she desired most. It was a great moment and a great memory!

Heading to Church!

All in all, I am thankful we spent this Christmas at our very first house. We made a lot of memories and it was extremely peaceful and quiet. A little too quiet for my liking, and I can't say I will do this again next year. But my heart is so happy and so thankful for everything that we have been blessed with. 2011 has been an amazing year for us. Sometimes life has a lot of challenges. Sometimes life has a lot of heartache. And sometimes life is just really good. 2011 has been that really good (and dare I say, one of the easiest) years I have ever had in my adult life! Merry Christmas!!!