Christmas

Merry Christmas 2008

There is something about this picture that just makes me turn to mush. I mean when I look at this picture I see the family I have always wanted and for a time didn't think I would ever have and had to become ok with that. However, looking at this picture makes me realize how very blessed I am. I love little sweet Cortland over on the side who just turned to the camera and said,"mom are one of these mine?", and Jadeyn as girly as one little girl can get, Bennett the sweet older brother who does all he can for his brothers and sister-my confidant, my sweet little Maddox in the back never demanding the spotlight and always carefree and S.W.E.E.T.!!!, and our sweet baby who just a few months before made his debut on this earth and is already making his spot in our pack and who fits wonderfully and makes us whole! This is the kind of photo that you hold dear to your heart, it is one that I took a metal picture of at the time, one I will never erase from my mind.

I love love love Christmastime. It seems like every year throughout the year we get so busy with our daily lives that we often just go from one thing to the next and we tend to be home bodies around here. So it is nice to have the holidays were we are sure to see family. That is the whole reason why we moved here, you know. For our families. Don't get me wrong. I like the area, but hello! there are mountains and oceans out there and we live FAR from both! Anyway, we had a fun time here this year just as usual.


This year one unique thing we had was many many house guests. It started on the 13th with Cherise and her new finance Karl stayed with us for about 10 days. Then we had Adam, Andy's brother, and his wife Gloria and their baby, Jordan for a week. In between there we had the great fortune of our dear dear friends Ben, Jamie and Katelyn stay with us on their way to Detroit and on their way back through back to Texas. It was SO fun seeing them. We just can't get enough of them! Then along with them Andy's sister Nicole pretty much stayed here most of the time which was WAY fun! Then his sister Michelle and her two girls were here much of the time as well to see the rest of the family that was here.


We had so much fun with all the visits. It was always a party and there was always something going on. I love that about a home. That is why I have always wanted a full house! All in all we all had a good time. WAY too many sweets were consumed, but that is what new years resolutions are for right?

Jadeyn and Natalie in their beautiful dresses feeling very beautiful!

Baby Jordan opening a present!

Cortland opening a truck!

The princesses!

Maddox and Marc

A group shot...sort of! I do not know what happened to my picture taking skills this year!

Bennett slightly excited about pokemon cards and a nerf gun!

I. So this year the Sunday before Christmas we had a Christmas dinner with Turkey and all the trimmings along with many desserts with Andy's side of the family. We had our gift exchange as well. It was so fun. We then partied the rest of the week before Christmas Eve. II. On Christmas Eve we went to my grandparents house and had dinner and a gift exchange there. It is so fun and it wouldn't be Christmas without that time. {Silly me did not take my camera to my grandmas so I do not have pictures of this!} We came home to an empty house and Andy and I put the kids down. Then we brought up all the gifts and decided to make a few treats. Andy and I were up till 5 in the morning. I cannot believe we were up that late, but it was kind of our time during the Christmas holiday that we were just with ourselves and had time together just him and I. We baked two loaves of bread, cinnamon rolls, four kinds of cookies and other treats. It was so fun. We haven't had that much time together just the two of us in a long time. Finally just about when we could not stand upright one more second longer we headed to bed.


III. Bennett woke us up around 8:30 exclaiming, "SANTA HAS BEEN HERE!". So we all eagerly went down to see what he had brought! I popped in the egg bake and cinnamon rolls and we started unwrapping. The kids had so much fun and it really was all new to them. They don't remember last year I don't think. So when they saw all the gifts they were so excited. This year I decided to do every ones gifts in a certain wrap. Each child had there own so there was no confusion as to whose was whose. We have always done where each child gets one big present and a couple small ones. Bennett got a real guitar with lessons that he is SO excited about. Jadeyn got a darling doll house. Cortland got a soccer net that when you kick the ball in there is cheering! Maddox got a Yo Gabba Gabba dance revolution. Paxton did not get much. He got a rattle and well I think that is it! What do you need when you have four older siblings! They got a few other little things too and had SUCH a great time. When we were all through unwrapping Santa left a piece of paper for a scavenger hunt. They went around the whole house till they were led to the back yard where their new swing set set. They were so excited as am I! This will keep them entertained for hours upon hours! Gotta love that, I tease Andy that that was really my gift! After unwrapping the gifts we casually played with toys and had our nice breakfast. This year we did Christmas at my parents the Saturday after so it was kind of nice to just be with our little family and enjoy Christmas day. IIII. That evening we headed down to my other grandparents for dinner and another gift exchange. Always fun there with my grandpa's unbelievable tree!{Again no pictures!}




IIII. That evening we headed down to my other grandparents for dinner and another gift exchange. Always fun there with my grandpa's unbelievable tree!{Again no pictures!}

That night we headed home and visited with Adam and Gloria some more. It was so fun having them here. We played lots of games ate lots of treats and even managed to all go out on a date to a great new Japanese Steakhouse and a movie. It had been several months since we have gotten out of the house like that so it was fun, especially with Adam and Gloria! {I am so sad I did not get any pictures of this either!}

IIIII. So the Saturday after we went to my parents. That was so fun. It was kind of fun that after Christmas there wasn't such a let down so we were able to still celebrate Christmas. We opened gifts tons and TONS of gifts! We also had an amazing breakfast! Paxton got a Bumbo seat which I have always wanted. It is so fun. The kids got clothes and lots of toys. Some cute dinosaurs and darling little doll that is hard with clothes you just snap on here. It is way cute and has become the toy J takes to nap with her. It keeps her quiet till she falls asleep. They also got big wheels which will be a summer favorite I am sure! Bennett got an awesome game table that has 16 games on it. Adam and Andy took around 5 hours to set it up. It has pool, ping pong, air hockey, shuffle board, Foosball and even a basket ball hoop that connects to the back of it up high. It is so cool and we all love to play it! It was so fun. Andy and I got Wii Fit! I had been wanting that forever! I was so so excited. It is always fun at my parents house. I love how excited they are to have us over. This is the day that my parents live for all year long! It is so nice how gracious they are. I am kind of bummed because I really wanted to get a picture of all of us together at my parent's house this year. I never remember to do that! To me my mom and Christmas are synonymous. She is all about Christmas. She gets so excited when she finds that extra little thing that is just perfect for so and so and gets all excited to see them open up their gifts. I love hearing about all her finds months before the holiday. I love that she loves Christmas. I think that is why I like the holiday so much. Growing up it was always such a great time. My parent's always did their best to provide a wonderfully perfect Christmas for us. I can't say for sure what I got each year, but I can say that every year has wonderful memories of us around the tree, just that warm feeling of being a family and being so comfortable and cozy. I am SO grateful for those Christmas feelings and only hope I can gift those to my children as well.

Before the madness began.

Paxton in his seat! So cute!

Bennett's game table.

J's big wheel.

Maddox concentrating on the gift.

This is another picture that just does it to me. When I look at this photo I see a baby. Not the actual baby in the picture, but my first baby, my seven year old who will always be my baby, my firstborn. He is such an incredible kid. It takes a lot to be the oldest of five and who is only seven. He handles it all so well. I am so thankful he is mine. He is what got me through all those hard years of wanting that family in the first photo and not getting it. He is so good to his brothers and sisters and he knows that Andy and I think that once his brothers and sister(s) realized how great of a brother he was going to be to them, that is why they came to our home, to our family. It is because of him. Man I love this boy!

We had such a great Christmas this year.
If I could wind it all up in one word
it would be FAMILY.
I am so grateful to be around family
all year long, but being "home"
where our families are makes
living at home THAT much better. I am so grateful for that.