Christmas Recap...

Christmas was different this year, but wonderful. It was different because for the first time in our 7 years of marriage we didn't have to travel for Christmas. We stayed home in our own house, we didn't have to worry about snow, flight delays, the kinds of presents which could be transported easily across the country. It was wonderful.

It was also different because for the first in 7 years I wasn't on winter break from school, instead I was in the midst of one of works busiest season. My in-laws traveled the 2 hours to spend the holidays with us, and although I really suck at hosting, it was nice to have some family.

Our christmas eve involved Marcus and I finishing our shopping (this was also a first we're usually finished before then) while my in-laws watched the babies. Then after a quick nap for all of us we headed off to church, which also happens to be my work.

We were there before anyone and we sat and listened to the bell choir rehearse. Emerson was so enthralled with the music. Every time they finished a song she immediately started signing "more, more".

Me in my church.

The worst part of the service was that both Eli & Emerson could see me up front and they kept putting their arms up for me. In the middle of reading the scripture Emerson freaked out and started screaming for me. Marcus ran out of the sanctuary but I could still hear her. Let me tell you that it's really hard to focus on reading when you can hear your child screaming. At other points though when they weren't yelling it was cute to see them wave to me up front.

After church we all came home and took a few pictures,

Our Family of four

Eli & Emerson with their Granddad and Gram

The six of us

Me & Emmy

Then we had some snacks. Emmy was having some eggnog with Gram

Eli was hanging out with his dad (Why we're all on the kitchen floor I have no idea)

Then we opened our matching Christmas pajamas and posed for a picture (kind of)

Then Marcus and Emmy did some gymnastics or something.

After all that the babies went to bed and we all tried to watch a Christmas Carol but we didn't get very far before we were all to exhausted and went to bed.

Then the next morning...

SANTA CAME! The babies were so much fun this year. They just played and played with all their new toys.

They got a new kitchen with they both love

A  basketball hoop. (We're trying to channel some of Eli's throwing issues into an appropriate forum. So our new thing is Eli we just throw balls in the basket). 

They also got a double stroller (just like theirs) and new baby dolls. Neither of them is the least bit intersted in the dolls. At one point they put their new toothbrushes and the pots and pans into the stroller but didn't care much about the babies. Often they would dump the babies out and run right over them.

A new table and chairs. 

They were not however interested in opening their presents. 

Not at all.

Eli helping Granddad open a present

Marcus and the hose (He was super excited about this)

Emmy and Gram

After opening all the presents at our house and after the babies had a nap we went over to my brothers and met up with a couple of my sisters do exchange a few presents with them. We were over there for a few hours and then came home.

Christmas night I ended up feeling a little sick and spent the remainder of my Christmas writing a sermon for church the next morning (which was also a first). 

I woke up incredibly sick on sunday morning but managed to get through the two services before coming home and sleeping. It was an exhausting christmas but one of the best I've had in a really long time. The babies were just so much fun and it was so nice not to have to travel.