Okay, so we actually got most of our wrapping done before Christmas Eve, which is quite unusual. All but 2 gift cards for presents were purchased 3 days before Christmas, which was even better! I've never been that ahead before. And yes, I consider that ahead! LOL! I have spent many years shopping 'til close on Christmas Eve...unhappily....
So Christmas Eve, Kevin had to work (of course). When he got home, we went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a while and hung out. She had dinner made, and we ate a bit, and just talked and stuff. Then, we left the boys, and took Ansley with us home to...you know...get things "ready." We thought we wouldn't have a lot to do, but actually we did. There was also some picking up that had to be done, so that also put us behind. And I also wanted to take some Christmas studio pics of Ansley, but she was pretty uncooperative, so that didn't last long. So anyway, we head back to Grandma's at about 10:30 or so. We went ahead and opened gifts there, and had a great time. When we were little, Santa would come to Grandma and Grandpa's (we would stay all night there), and then we would come home and see that Santa had been there too. Through the years, the tradition got adjusted to where we opened gifts at midnight, that way everyone could still have a good night's rest in their own home. But this year, we went ahead and did it before midnight, as everyone was getting tired. We just said Santa would only come at our house, and that there wouldn't be a Santa gift at Grandma & Grandpa's. The boys and Ansley got lots of stuff there. Riley was a hit. He was sooooo happy about everything he got, and kept exclaiming every time he opened something, and then would thank whomever the gift was from. He made me pretty proud. I've always said that boy has the most grateful heart :)
Ansley was awake the whole time, and didn't fall asleep until nearly time to get in the car. She looked so very cute in her Christmas pjs.
Then we came home. We weren't "done" with everything, and had to just set everything in the playroom temporarily, so we told the boys to go straight to bed--and to hurry and get to sleep--before Santa came. Well, leave it to Spencer. He somehow snuck in to the living room and noticed that Santa had eaten his cookies and drank his milk, but hadn't left any gifts. Great. Spencer is going to be the end of me, I'm telling you. So Kevin told him we must have scared him off, and he's probably coming back. Talan was absolutely adorable. He was nearly quivering with fear that he wouldn't be asleep when Santa came back, and that he wouldn't get anything. I had to assure him many times. It sort of upset me, actually, how much this "Santa" thing meant to them. I know they're little, but still...Talan was really truly about to have a breakdown it seemed!
The kids ended up falling asleep pretty quickly. We finished what we needed to do, and then happily got into bed and waited for them to wake up. That morning they saw their unwrapped gifts from Santa, and opened the wrapped gifts from Mommy and Daddy. There weren't really any big wish list items this year. Their lists and wants were pretty much little things--nothing big like in years past. So in that respect, we lucked out! Spencer ended up with his DSi, and although I got it before he really really wanted it, he plays with it all the time and loves how it can take pictures. He also got one of those mini claw machines, which Talan seems to love more than he does. We figured Spencer would totally love it, as he is obsessed with them in stores, but...he is way more into the DSi.
Riley's main wish was for a T-Rex, so he got several dinosaurs that he plays with now. And he is a huge Wii fan, so he spends much of his time right now trying out all the new Wii and PS2 games that everyone got. The games are definitely his favorite. He also got a big monster truck that jumps over cars--he just loves the fact that it's so big, though. And one of those huge Nerf guns. It was nice that we didn't have to purchase anything big and electronic for him this year...only games. :)
Talan's fave is probably one of those bop bags, that we have had before. You know, the one where you can punch it down and it comes back up? Yep, that was his favorite gift until he cut a hole in it with scissors. That child, that child....I did tape it with duct tape, and will be checking to see if it keeps it sealed enough to keep that one until I can go get another. I got it from ToysRUs,and not sure if they have them at Wal-Mart or not... He got a 2 Wii games and a PS2 game, but Talan seems so anxious all the time, it's hard for him to stick with something. He gets frustrated and wants to quit. I hope to work more with him on that after the boys get back into school, and it's just us during the day. He also loves his new Thomas pieces and trains...he got a suspension bridge and tunnel, which of course cost a fortune in my opinion.
Ansley didn't get a whole lot...leggings, leg warmers (LOVE), tons of shoes and clothes, a teacup set, a play purse with stuff to go in it....not too too much, we thought we'd try to skimp on her this first year.
Kevin and I kept it simple--jeans for him and a sweater for me. We are soooo on a budget right now. Thank goodness that my parents still spoil me, or it would have been a total bummer. My fave gift is definitely my Coach purse and wallet from my mom. This one is just adorable...totally love it! Oh, and that Love and Luck perfume by Ed Hardy. It smells soooo good! And that LoveSpell lotion by VS. That smells soooo good too! Kevin and I both are loving all of that--perfume for me has been a rarity since I got pregnant with Spencer, and that was nearly 10 years ago! Now that I have found a new scent that I love, I wear it every time I've been out! Thanks to Steph for letting me smell it on her---it's delicious! And I'm soooo not a perfume girl! Well....I was before my first pregnancy....That has officially changed! I love smelling it! And my dad's main gift to me was photoshop. It is more useful than I originally had thought, as it was required by one specific lab that I use.
Okay, but the best thing about Christmas this year was that it was my first Christmas dinner at my house. At the beginning of our marriage, I kid you not that we were shuttling to about 6 different places on the 2 days of Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Now, I know that some say we are so "lucky" and "blessed" and that we should be "thankful," but....no. That sooooo wasn't happening! Christmas was a chore! I hated rushing here, rushing there, being starving because we weren't ever there at the time they ate...packing this, packing that. It was a total Christmas ruiner! Hated it. Hated it, hated it, hated it. So we have weeded out people out, and condensed it to just my Grandma & Grandpa's on Christmas Eve night, then mine and his parents on Christmas morning, then that evening at Kimo and Susan's in Farragut (my fave place, mainly bc it's the last stop of the night, and we can relax--the kids have kids to play with, and we usually play board games and have so much fun).
Well, I have been saying to Kevin for years that I want Christmas dinner at my house. And he has always been against it. (The kids get soooooo many gifts from so many different people, and he doesn't want to stress about putting it all up before company comes over)And he has always won. Well, I told him that it was enough, we had had it his way for 7 years, and sorry--but now it's my turn. I am a mother of 4. I obviously LOVE family traditions and anything like that...most people who want large families do...and it was my turn to have a tradition for my family. And so I did!!!!
It was chaotic! LOL! We were so rushed from picking up--we got home from my mom's at about 2:30, and people were coming at 6:00, and no cooking had been done yet! I was totally winging everything, and totally behind. But it got done!!!! (Kevin left all the gifts that weren't from us in the car--great idea!) And I had my Christmas tradition!!!! And it is my hope that when my children get older, they will know that Christmas dinner is at 6 or 7:00 at our house, and that that time slot belongs to me and our family! This tradition of mine excites me more than I can completely express. It is weird, because it's like a small dream come true for me. But, that's how I feel! So now, I hope to own that small piece of Christmas forever in my children's lives. (If they live close enough, of course).
So it was Mom & Jeff and Kimo & Susan and their children who came. It was wonderful. They had so much fun. Dinner was delicious. The only thing that could have made it better would be if my sister had stayed in town. She instead went to Cookeville, with her boyfriend, which kind of stunk. But, you can't win them all. We played a little game to open presents--a competitive game where you win a chance to start opening the gift by rolling a 7, then you try to open it with gloves, a hat, and a scarf on, and the person who actually gets to the gift on his/her turn is actually the winner of the gift--and I look forward to playing that every Christmas now. Very fun!!!! Kevin won us a $40 gift card to Connors/Chop House! Sweet! We got so many restaurant gift cards this year...I can't wait to use them right up!
So that was our Christmas. The first Christmas with our complete family. The first Christmas with our own family dinner at our house. The first Christmas with a little girl to dote on. I am so incredibly thankful....
And so there are the many pics that has been the root of all my slacking!!! And yes, some of them are on here twice, three times, four times. I just don't have the patience to fix it. I never even made it past the pics at my grandma's, so I'll just have to add a little as I go. I have to move on, or I'll miss the next 3 months as well!!! I'm so mad that I took this long and have missed so much! UGH!
