Merry Christmas

Words cannot express how grateful I was to have Todd for Christmas this year!!! My heart was so full and I couldn't have asked for anything more than having him with us to celebrate every moment of the holiday.

Christmas Eve Mass...where we celebrate the true reason for Christmas

Then off to YaiYai's for Christmas Eve Dinner and presents

Setting out milk, cookies and carrots before bed

Santa came

In this pile are gifts for Todd and I that the kids did/wrapped all themselves (trinkets from around the house, pictures they made, lego creations, ect). It was so thoughtful of them and I couldn't be more proud that they were thinking beyond their own wants)

Just a little excited Christmas morning ;-)

We got a beautiful white Christmas!

Sadie loved playing in the snow

Checking out the stockings

Hot chocolate while we waited for my family to come over for Christmas morning breakfast and presents

Love this family of mine and all our Christmas traditions

Bodie LOVED breakfast :-)

And his new snowboard

After we opended all the gifts we sent the kids to the garage to get something for us...this is Kayla when she first saw that something ;-)

They had no idea we were getting them these...they were over the moon! And this momma is saying even more prayers now!

Bodie gave me the most amazing gift...this beautiful painting that he did in school. I will frame it and keep it forever!

Relaxing after an eventful morning

Legos and watching A Christmas Story were on our agenda

And taking naps in front of the fire

We ended the night with Christmas Day dinner at my parents

More December fun...

It has been go, go, go the past few weeks and we are having so much fun. I'm pretty sure the week after Christmas is going to be a lot of relaxing and catching up on rest for us, but until then we are soaking up every moment of Christmas fun we can. Last week included more work holiday parties, more neighbor parties, making cookies, a play, mini cheer for Kayla, a b-day dinner for me w/ my besties, a daycare performance and fun things at the kid's school (all on top of the usual work, school, karate, dance and tumbling....).

We had a lot of fun at my work Christmas Party

B's teacher took this picture while they made Gingerbread houses

Kayla performed a cheer routine at the high schools basketball game

We went to A Christmas Carol and dinner with TJ's family

Santa stopped by church to say Hello ;-)

We made Christmas cookies with my family

The cutest little helpers

The kids did a Christmas performance at daycare and Santa showed up

This video is from the cheer dress rehearsal

This is some of the daycare performance

December so far...

I'm pretty sure this is the busiest December we've had so far...so many parties and fun to be had. The best part is that Todd is home for everything this year...such a blessing!!
We kicked off the month with our annual Christmas Party at our house and have been running ever since...kids to a movie with my sister, dinner with friends, my work holiday event (from which I was crying driving home in a blizzard...you'd think I'd know how to drive in snow by now), Todd's client holiday party, book club, dance, karate for Bodie, birthday parties, Broadway show, neighborhood parties, live nativity with neighbors, first ski lesson of the year....we are packing it all in this year. I don't even have that many pictures from everything...which tells me I'm actually enjoying the moments ;-)

Still on our list is to see Santa, Xmas lights and play with TJ's family, Kayla cheer camp, kid's school/daycare/church parties and programs, more neighbor parties, more b-day parties and everything about Christmas Eve/Day. In between the crazy we are having fun finding our elf each day, drinking lots of hot cocoa & coffee, watching Christmas movies, snuggling by the fire and finding sweet treats and goodies on our porch from fabulous neighbor friends.

Dressed up and ready for Todd's client's party

Kayla is so sweet and always helping Bodie with his homework

B loves taking Karate

On her first day back, Bubbles, brought the kids Lego advents

I volunteered in B's classroom for a science project

I love that B will still cuddle with me and grab my hand

Hi Bubbles!

Her hair is getting so long!

All ready for our Christmas Party

Somehow our Xmas party ended with gymnastics in the kitchen ;-0

Live Nativity with a bunch of neighbor friends

Checking out the first camel

This camel was HUGE and so cute (super soft too)

Ready for the first ski of the year

Taking the kiddos to sleep at my parents while Todd and I went to a party

His client's party was so beautiful and fun!

My parents took my sis and I to "White Christmas"...it was so beautiful and totally put me in the Christmas spirit

The sunset on our family walk one night

And a little time at the park on that walk

Writing their Christmas wish list for Santa