Simply Breathtaking: backtracking a little bit, okay, about a month! Part I

Christmastime

Christmas was such a fun time for us. It was SO nice being home and actually living here. We enjoyed being with our families so much. It was extra fun because Brandon (Andy's oldest brother) and his wife and four children were here. It was SO fun and Bennett loved being with them so much.
The festivities lasted about a 2 weeks long and almost every night. I am still trying to catch up on sleep.
On Christmas Eve's Eve we had a big dinner with all of Andy's family. It was so fun. We had our gift exchange, played games and pretty much snacked all night. The kids loved running around and playing. They all got matching jammies which is always a huge hit and they look so cute. They also had their care bear scavenger hunt, which always gets them so excited. You know out of all the time we had with them(with 10 children all 10 and under there was NEVER any fighting, yelling or crying. None) it was constant fun. Besides most of us getting the flu not once, but twice, we all had a good time. It was so nice this year to have a place where we could all gather and there was plenty of room. We are so grateful to have a home here where when family visits we can open our doors...hint hint hint...you know who you are...:)

this picture cracks me up, we actually got some good ones, but this is my fave!

a nice family photo, check out Bradley right behind Grandma Joy

cuties in their jammies with care bears, check out cortie

they are so cute and have so much fun together

they are so cute too and love to be together

Christmas Eve we relaxed all day besides me running around 21 cookie platters. Then that night we headed to my grandma and grandpas house for our Christmas dinner and gift exchange. That is always fun. It is a tradition we have had for my entire life. We came home that night and set out the cookies and milk for Santa and dressed in our matching Christmas jammies and all went to bed.

matching jammies, cortland sure likes to get his picture taken

grandma and her baby

Sometime throughout the night Santa came and boy were the kids excited. Funny thing though of all days my children sleep in it is Christmas morning. I mean on a normal day we are all up by 7:00 no later and this particular day they did not wake up till 9 am! Why can they do that everyday? We opened our presents and had such a great time. The kids got bikes and tricycles and little chairs and a few other things. IT was perfect, not too much not too little, Santa did well this year:). This was the first Christmas morning of my entire 30 years I did not wake up in my parents home. Kind of weird, but it was so nice. Probably really weird for my parents.

this picture cracks me up, you can see we had to wake them all up, they all look so tired, i think maddox's expression is my favorite

bennett got a bigger bike and he was SO excited about it

the twins got new tricycles that the loved and would not leave alone

cortland is the type of present opener everyone wants to see, he oohs and aahs forever over the most simple little thing, he gets SO excited it is so very cute

maddox was fully laying in his present, i think it was a hit

We then headed to my parents house where we had brunch and opened gifts there. We always have such a great time. My mom is in Heaven on this day. Her world revolves around her grandchildren and Christmas so this day is honestly her favorite. It is so fun to see her get so excited. She probably gets more excited than anyone else I know about Christmas morning. So cute! We then played with toys and games took naps and had some visitors.

the tree at my parents

maddox enjoying a box, just a box

eating my moms wonderful breakfast

Then we got ready to go down to my other grandparents house for the evening. That was fun too. Seeing family and eating and exchanging gifts is always something we look forward too and seeing their beautiful huge tree!

the great grandchildren

kk and cortie

We got home and slept well that night. Then the very next day we had Andy's family over again. We honestly could not get enough time in with them. It was so fun and the kids all have such a blast together. It is fun hanging with Michelle, talking, cooking, baking, talking and more talking. I have to admit though more than once we were longing for our other SIL's.
The rest of the Christmas Vacation was spent with family and parties and more family time. We all had a blast!
One thing about Christmas this year that I would really try to figure out to do differently next year is we all got WAY TO MUCH! It would be grand to me if everyone only gave us one gift, or even a family gift. I know people have way too much fun buying during the holiday season, but it is really important to me that my children do not think of Christmas being a time to get gifts. I want it to be about being together, making memories, giving of ourselves...I think it may be a hopeless want, but I am thinking about what we can do next year that can be different. I mean if you ask Bennett what he got for Christmas I am not even sure what he would say, there was just so much. We are truly grateful for all the generosity that is sure don't get me wrong. I just want it to be less about the receiving and more about the true meaning of it all, how cliche, right?
Anyway there will be a long line of pics. I will see how I can spread them out.

Oh and here are some of my favorite Christmas decorations of this year.

I remember making this when Bennett was a baby, and it still brings back such sweet memories of my new first born baby and our first Christmas together.