Our family usually travels to Texas to visit my parents over the Thanksgiving break. And we’re often left scrambling to find a good time to put up the tree and outdoor decorations. Well, this year was a bit different. Devin is in the Deer Creek Marching Band, and we thought it would be good for Devin to be there for the playoff game scheduled for Friday after Thanksgiving. We’ve decided to take the trip to Texas at the end of the year instead.
Though our plans have changed, our zeal to put up the indoor decorations had not! And it was so fun to see Austin really light up this year. He was all in on decorating, putting his spin on where the ornaments should go. I think all three boys did a fantastic job!
And to top it off, we had to watch Home Alone 1 & 2. I love those movies. They’re just fun movies, and I was happy just to sit back, relax, and enjoy them. And Austin, perhaps, enjoyed them more than anyone. He would NOT take his eyes off the screen!
I’m hoping I can do another post with all the Christmas paper and new gifts and happy kids with smiles on their faces. But I also know how chaotic it is and that I rarely get a chance to take pics. So in case this is it, Merry Christmas to everyone, and I hope you have a Happy New Year!
Small Moments
Here are some pictures from Austin’s daycare. They do amazing things for the holidays, including a fantastic Santa.
Devin and Kash
Kash’s parents had a party, and Devin was invited to spend the night. He had a blast, as usual.
Christmas Eve
We joined Laura for a wonderful Christmas Eve Mass at St. Eugene’s. The priest is fabulous and really got the kids involved. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The kids got to open one gift on Christmas eve. Austin screamed!
Christmas Morning!
Before the craziness started, we had a very special moment when we read a letter from Santa. He told the boys to keep up the good work with soccer and Taekwondo. But for Austin, he told him that Elfie wants to retire and that he’d be so happy to stay here. And that Austin needs to take care of him the way he does Baby and Tiger the Leopard. It was so cute and sweet. Austin really does have such a big heart. And he’s been carrying Elfie, Baby, and Tiger around all weekend!
I tried really hard to get as many photos as possible, but it’s difficult! With Elise’s help, we got some great ones!
Christmas Lunch
It was a fantastic meal with friends and family. Mike started the smoked turkey on Christmas eve. It was cooked to perfection. We had all the fixings: stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, cheesy pull-apart bread, and deviled eggs. We even had cookies, brownies, pumpkin pie, and apple pie for dessert.
And to make it even better, Elise’s poppers came with whistles and music to make a song. We may have had a little too much fun with it!
Playing with toys
The kids had such a great time playing with their toys. Austin got a tricycle and decided to take him on a walk with Braden and his new rollerblades and Saydee. It was so much fun.
Merry Christmas!
I want to say a heartfelt Thank You to everyone. This year has been really rough, but everyone helped us make this such a great Christmas for the kids. Yes, the presents were fabulous, but it was more than that. We had such a good time opening gifts, telling stories, eating great food, and just having fun.
Merry Christmas, Everyone!
And Happy New Year!