Christmas Day - 2010

Christmas morning I generally wake up super duper early, but this Christmas we actually used our alarms! We got up about 5AM to get over to Michelle's by 6:30 so we could see Zack and the twins first thing. I was really excited to be part of their Christmas morning and watch the kiddos open their gifts

The cinnamon rolls all ready to eat! 

The stockings filled by Santa 

We had to wake up Brit and Chris... don't think they were ready yet

Zack had to run and greet Aunt Barb

Brittany and Chris were super excited about their ripstiks 

Emma loved the paper 

Matt's turn to open a gift 

I am not exactly sure what was so funny, but they were really tickled about it

Awww brother and sister hugs! 

Andy and Joanna

Kenny's Aunt, Nanette's side of the family has a tradition with stockings for adults and this year we were invited to participate. Basically what they do is each person participating buys 1 item for everyone else's stocking so it truly is a smorgasbord of items and feels like the stockings were filled by Santa. It was a fun new tradition for us and I enjoyed trying it out. Kenny got the fruit cake in his stocking... A couple years ago Andy and Kim got into a discussion about fruit cake and how no one really likes it and there are probably only like 100 in the whole world and they keep getting regifted... and so this is the 3rd year the fruit cake has been regifted in the family. I would love to see how long it goes on for!

The holidays are not my favorite time of year anymore... in fact I dread them and count the days until it is over.  Kenny and I decided that we needed to create our own traditions that fit the 2 of us (and maybe a child or two in the future if we are so blessed). Something we can be excited about and look forward to every year. We came up with the idea of going to the movies on Christmas day. So, after the festivities at Michelle's house we snuck off to see Little Fockers. Wow was it busy ; every seat in the entire theater was filled!! It was a funny movie and we enjoyed just laughing and relaxing (probably a keeper as far as traditions go!) 


Our plan was to go home after the movie, but since my dad hadn't come on Christmas Eve we wanted to visit with him. He was on the way to my grandma's house for Christmas dinner and we ended up going over there. Things haven't been great between my dad and us so we were a little worried about it being awkward, but everything went perfect. The food was great, everyone was in a good mood and we had a simply good time!

My dad's lights- 

All our Christmas decorations... not much effort this year on my part

After dinner we headed home. We both commented that we had never waited this late in the day (8PM) to open our gifts and see what Santa put in our stockings! Kenny got me tickets to the Harlem Globe Trotters which I am super excited to see in January, as well as a devotional and a Chronological Bible! I got him a few shirts and this cowboy hat : )

Here are 2 of my favorite gifts... this flower pot was created by the Ross family (Zack and babies included)  and this awesome scrapbook Michelle made me to document the Count up to Christmas project we did for her. She took pictures every day of the kids opening the books and them reading to the kiddos.

It was a wild, crazy, busy, full 2 days and totally amazing.  Hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas too!