Happy New Year friends!! WE are just getting ourselves together after 3 weeks worth of company at our home! WHEW!!! It was wonderful though...we enjoyed every minute, but we definitely were ready for some downtime. This was the 1st Christmas we have not been in FL...this was the 1st Christmas that we did not wake up at one of our parents homes....this was the 1st Christmas in our own home!!! I am sure you get what I am trying to say. But it was a big deal...I mean in the last 32 years, we have been at our parents house...so for us to do Christmas at our own home was huge!
My sister, Katelynn, was our first visitor arriving on Dec. 15th. She was a HUGE help and allowed me to get lots of things done having her extra pair of hands always ready to assist! She babysat for us so that we could attend JEff's company Christmas party. We bought running shoes and tried them out as we trained for our half marathon we are running together in Feb. We also took a day and did a sisters only visit to Old Salem where we met up with my good friend, Melissa. We toured the town and had a nice little day away from the babies. A week later, my mom arrived. She was here for almost a week, and spent Christmas here with us. We spent more time in the mall in the days leading up to and after Christmas than I care to share, but I guess that is what girls like to do best! We also had fun making Christmas treats and cookies. We went out to see Christmas lights in McAdenville, aka, Christmas town USA....however, the first night we sat in the traffic for 2 hours, only to have to go home because the lights were going off. So we tried again another night, and took advice of going a different route, and voila, we got to see the lights. Connor was enamored!!! He loved it!!!! We spent Christmas Eve at church which was amazing! I have not been to a Christmas Eve service in a long time, as we are usually in FL and are always having to be somewhere other than church...so this time God came first, and it was a great service. I loved the candle light and all the traditional Christmas songs that were sung!
Connor was excited to leave cookies for Santa...as he knew that Santa was going to be bringing him 3 presents. We chose 3....for the 3 wisemen so that we can try to keep the present giving under control ;). Christmas morning was magical!! It is so awesome to see Christmas though your children's eyes!! We were up early, as usual...and we went down to a tree surrounded by presents. We didn't keep presents around the tree all month long....so when he saw them, he was in awe. This is the first time he really enjoyed opening them up too!! Sorry, I have yet to mention Greyson...but you know, he is a baby and is not really into all this stuff just yet. He was a good boy though and loved the bows and his toys he got...as if he doesn't have enough already ;) We made an easy Christmas day meal.....a honeybaked ham and all the fixins...and then just enjoyed the day!
A few days later my mom and sister left, and then Jeff's parents (Mimi and Papa) arrived, straight from Chicago. We did our "Christmas" with them on New Years eve. Woke up again to presents under the tree....and again, Connor loved it! Some of his favorite gifts he received are a massive firetruck, add ons to his Thomas the train set, and Greyson's car....oh, and a few puzzles. Greyson loved his walking activity toy and his car that moved when you shake a rattle or spin the ball on the top of it. Mimi and Papa stayed with the boys and let us have a much needed, night out.....on New Years eve, and what do we do, the crazy party animals that we are? WE go to a movie. But it was a fun time...we went to the epicenter in downtown Charlotte where you can order food and drinks while in the movie. Mimi and Papa left a few days later.... and now our house is just unusually quiet. WE miss everyone, and had a wonderful Christmas! I think we will be spending it here for the next few years...it was nice to be home and establish our own traditions. I would say the only disappointing aspect was that it was unseasonably warm here....and it would have been nice to see a white Christmas (like it was last year when we were in FL).
Enjoy the MANY pics of our holiday memories....Connor keeps saying Christmas is over, as he looks for our Christmas trees....and he asks about George Wilson too (our Elf on a Shelf). I keep telling him, next year buddy.....
