Well, Merry Christmas! Today we celebrated as parents of two handsome boys. Sometimes it's weird to think this is our 6th Christmas together, and that we've now got a little family to celebrate as. 

We started our celebrations on Saturday with our some of our friends and exchanged gifts. We got a picture of the kids together in their jammies. Cute little stinkers. Then Sunday we had a beautiful musical Sacrament meeting. Yesterday I baked. I made cookies and banana bread in our (MY) new KitchenAid stand mixer which I love. It made me giggle excitedly. Then last night we headed to Jonesboro to visit Ryan's Aunt Vickie as we have in the past. There were SOOOOOO many people there. Some who were not related or that I even knew, but we had fun and everyone was very nice and gracious. We had a wonderful dinner and then the kids opened their gifts from cousins and aunts and uncles. Then the grown ups played Dirty Santa. Poor Jonah isn't feeling too great again. I think his top teeth are starting their decent and is making for a miserable little man. So it was hard for me to enjoy it completely because he was not doing so great. We had a foggy drive home and me and Ben wrapped daddy's present, put out a cookie for Santa and he hurried to bed. He was afraid Santa would see him. He was SO excited and it was ADORABLE. It made me excited for him and to focus on the excitement of Christmas instead of feeling stressed about wrapping presents and all that stuff. 

We finally got settled in to bed around 11pm. Only to be woken up by the sick one, Jonah, at about 12:30am. Then again at 2.30, then again at 4:30.... we woke up at 7:30 and he didn't wake up until Ben had opened some presents already. We got Ben up and he was so excited to see his gifts! He kept saying "he really listened to my list!!" and "Santa gave me too much!" and "I like Santa". Like he really got it this year. Ally, our dog, ate Santa's cookie though much to our shagrin. And we didn't even know she'd done it until this morning. Santa brought Ben a cute little guitar, a scooter and a few other cool things. Jonah got a treasure chest and some clothes. I required that we all take naps, and when I got there... I couldn't sleep. I think I'm getting a cold and was feeling the affects of it, coughing and uncomfortable. Ugh. One of the only times I get the chance to nap, and I can't. So frustrating. Anyway, we rushed to get the house a little more presentable than a Christmas morning lends to, and Ryan's parents came over to spend the rest of the day with us. We made spaghetti dinner and opened presents and just hung out. It was super nice and relaxing and actually fun to be at home. We're usually somewhere else on Christmas day, so I was glad to be home today. Especially since Jonah wasn't feeling great this morning. After his afternoon nap though, his fever had gone away and he was much happier, not totally better... but happier. 

Now the boys are in bed, and we're just hanging out listening to the rain that could become severe weather (there have been tornadoes here in the South today, sad...). I am working tomorrow, bummer, but hopefully not for a whole day.

I sometimes tend to forget why we celebrate today, and need to do better at making sure my kids understand why. I am grateful for our Lord and Savior whose birth we celebrate. I am grateful for His sacrifice and teachings while on the earth. I am grateful for His love. Now, a week away from 2013! ACK! Where did the year go!? I feel as though having two kids makes the time fly by even faster!

Christmas exchange with our friends!

 

Aunt Vickie and Uncle Lanny's House- Christmas Eve

Nana and Poppy!