Our Christmas

This year was the first Christmas our family spent the day at home, so it was very special. I did really miss going to my Granny and Papal's house to spend Christmas Eve with my dad's whole family, since that's what I've done every year of my life! Christmas Eve here was ... interesting.

We got ready to go to Christmas Eve service at church. (I don't know why this is sideways.)

Nate was not in the greatest mood (hence the lack of pictures of him), but luckily the kids in his kid's church class were playing with trains so he actually went in and stayed. By the time we got home, he was exhausted and very cranky.

Not Georgia! She was happy as an elf!

Hehehe.

I had all these plans for starting special Christmas Eve traditions, but it just wasn't happening with Nate being so tired and grouchy. He did sit still long enough for Blake to read the Christmas story.

Then the kids got to open presents "from each other." Georgia knows just what Nate likes and got him a train!

Nate picked out one of his baby toys to give to Georgia.

He later decided it was "MY elephant!" Georgia said, "Whatever!"

I put Nate to bed at 6:30 ... so that wasn't much fun! But then it got even less fun because he woke up an hour later and was up and CRYING until 1 am! He was so excited and anxious about Santa coming that he couldn't sleep. Blake and I both took turns laying in his floor with him to help him fall asleep. At one point, he whispered to Blake, "Santa is outside my window!" And then he got scared at that thought and started crying! Ha! Poor guy. He FINALLY passed out, and we all slept until 9:30 Christmas morning. When I heard him wake up, I went to his room and told him that Santa had been there and left presents under the tree. He said, "This is so exciting!"

It's EMILY!

Georgia got her first Cabbage Patch doll!

And an exersaucer!

Going through stockings.

A little while later, Granna, Pop, Memaw, GrandBob, and Uncle Lucas all arrived!

We did a lot of cooking and had a bit of a mishap with a ham. Blake made ribs, and my mom said she'd bring a ham because my dad would get one from his work. Well, my dad brought home this 18 pound ham fresh from the meat packing plant. They had to get up at the crack of dawn to get to my house earlier to put it in the oven, and it still wasn't ready by dinner time. A couple hours later, after we finished opening gifts, it was all done. :) Good ham--we just didn't have it for dinner.

We still had quite a spread. Ribs, mac and cheese, Janie's baked beans, caesar salad, sweet potatoes, rolls, cheese ball, stuffed mushrooms, peanut butter pies, a banana/chocolate dessert, pumpkin roll, and my mom's fudge and oreo balls. YUM.

Then it seemed Santa arrived again.

Nope, that was just Granna and Pop bringing in all their presents!

Georgia looks like she's thinking, "Granna, I am way too little for that!"

She seems to love her first American Girl doll. "Hey, you look like me!"

Nate, are you ready for a really great present? It was a geotrax train. The next morning I heard him say, "This is the best train I ever seen."

Here's Georgia with all her loot.

She was tuckered out!

Uncle Lucas is so silly.

I think Nate's favorite gift of everything he got for Christmas was, of all things, Leggos. He got two sets, and he has played with them nonstop. He can build a really tall tower. (I think he had help with this one.) Oh, and check out our new TV behind him!!!

She is just the cutest little thing.

My parents also got us new bedding and curtains for our bedroom, and I couldn't wait to get it all put together. Isn't it so pretty? I loooove it. It's so comfortable too.

Georgia sleeps in a bassinet that her big cousin Koko slept in as a baby.

Don't tell Nate, but after he goes to bed, Georgia and I play!

If you can't tell, Nate doesn't like to have his picture taken these days, so I'm not getting as many of him. He has been very busy and intent on playing with all his new toys. My computer caught a virus on Christmas Eve, and it was useless until earlier today when cousin Mikey came over and used his genius IT powers to fix it. We've spent the weekend putting away toys, taking down the Christmas tree, and just dealing with all the aftermath of Christmas. It was so nice to be home and not have to travel with two little kids.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that you are now recovered from all the fun. :)