The Week After Christmas and New Years Eve!

 This is one of the best weeks of the year. Everyone has plenty of toys to play with and things to do and we have plenty of time to relax and be together. We watched lots of movies, had family come over to see what the kids got, we went to Kathy's to celebrate Tj's birthday, Elle won a tennis tournament she played in,  and the boys all played and played and played. New Years was a little different this year because Jamie's family all had covid and my parents were quarantining from being around them. The Stevens were out of town and Ashbys were with family so it was just our family this year and it was wonderful. We ate out at the Sizzler and came home and played games all night long! Tate and Kemp are the most hilarious competitive little boys and some of the games didn't end so nicely. But we laughed, ate, watched the ball drop and celebrated the coming of a New Year with the people that we love the very most. It might have a been a different year and a tough year in so many ways but we grew so much. It's a year I will always treasure because of the amount of time we got to spend together. 

Christmas Day!!!

 Christmas Day!!!!! Mine and Toby's phones were buzzing before 7:00 am that they were up and ready to go! We went upstairs and gave our "gifts to Jesus" which we have been doing for years. They write on a piece of paper a few things that they want to do for Jesus during the following year. We had our prayer and then they lined up at the top of the stairs. Christmas music went on and they went running down to find what Santa had left them. We are so blessed and they were all so excited and happy and I now know how my Mom and Dad felt watching all of us on Christmas morning. Such a beautiful day. We relaxed and played with toys and ate the breakfast boxes and then took of to Kathy's to enjoy more food and more presents together over there. Kathy gave Elle another pair of Jordan's that she was so so excited about and we gave Kathy an air fryer that I hope they will love and find useful. 

After we came home relaxed for a bit longer and then headed to my parents for Christmas night. It got a little chaotic and we had to wait a bit for Josh and the girls but the kids loved opening their ornaments, and gifts from each other and we had a great time doing the white elephants with the adults. The food was absolutely amazing and we had more than a feast. It was a really fun evening being together. I sure love my family. 

Christmas Eve!!! Best Night of the Year!

 This has always been my favorite day/night of the year. I love the excitement in the air and the spirit that feel that night! We woke up and had a fun breakfast together than we all went downstairs and had a great workout together! We took turns on the treadmill, bike, punching bag, and the mat and Toby and I loved every second of it. We put on a Hallmark Christmas movie called Operation Christmas Drop while we worked out and I love the message of that movie. 

The kids also couldn't wait until that night to open their sibling gifts so I guess we've started a new tradition where they open their gifts from each other in the middle of the day. haha. It's so cute that they are all so excited to give each other their gifts. I love the smiles of their faces and the hugs they give each other. Elle told me it was her very favorite tradition.

Then we just showered and cleaned up the house and got ready for our fondue tradition. Everyone in the family loves this tradition. We had steak, chicken, shrimp, apples, carrots, bread, pretzels, chips, strawberries, raspberries, donuts, rice crispy treats, marshmallows, sparkling cider and I'm sure we're missing a few things. It's the perfect Christmas Eve meal. 

After dinner we ran over to Grandma and Grandpas to get the kids Christmas PJ's and their breakfast boxes. The kids sang a few songs and we did some Christmas Bells. It always feels like Christmas in their home.

Then back home for our own family Christmas Eve Night. We watched some of the Chosen Christmas Special and the Nativity video from the Chosen which was just beautiful and had a little lesson for the kids about that Sacred Night so long ago. 

Then the kids were so excited to put cookies and milk out for Santa, spread the magical reindeer food, and get settled upstairs in the bonus room to read Polar Express. Honestly this was the first year we got home so early and it was hard for them to go to sleep! Usually they are all out before the end of the story but I ended up putting the movie on for Kemp and Elle. Hahah. But it wasn't long before they fell asleep so excited for the big day ahead.