We said goodbye to Grandpa John and Grandma Julie as they headed out East to spend the rest of the holiday with Uncle JB. This year Ryan and I decided it's time to start creating our own new traditions with our boys. This has been VERY hard for me. Every year we have spent Christmas Eve with the Market family. This year however we decided to stay home so that our boys could wake up at our house Christmas morning. I found a local church for us to attend a Christmas Eve service. We came home had dinner and allowed the boys to open their gifts from us.
They first started opening up their present from Grandma Nancy while she watched via FaceTime. Nolan doesn't get the concept of opening gifts together so he just screamed and cried!
Finally it was time for them to open the gifts they've been staring at under the tree for weeks!
They all did really well taking turns and checking out to see what each other got.
Spencer is all decked out and ready to go with his Hudson Hockey apparel. He did tell me this year that next year I don't need to get him so many clothes.
After presents it was time to get ready for Santa and the reindeer. The boys threw out carrots and put out a bucket of water. Ryan wanted to take them driving around to look at Christmas lights. He told them they would also look for Santa. Easton however didn't want to go. He told me while they were gone "They're not going to see Santa mom.....They're not even going to the North Pole!"
The boys said "goodbye" to Chippy. He's been fun to have around for the last month but I'm not that sad to see him go.
While the boys were tucked in their beds Santa came and did his magic....
They were SO excited to see that Santa came and that they didn't get lumps of coal.
With Santa gifts there is no order in opening things up. Just ask Spencer though what happens if you open everything up to fast and don't really pay attention. You have to sit, wait and watch your brothers finish up.
Easton kept digging deep into his Santa bag to get his presents
After we got cleaned up we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's for brunch and more gift opening. The kids all wore matching pjs. There's nothing better then being comfy when opening gifts.
We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus per Finley's request.
Finally onto the present opening! We tired to keep things organized but eventually gave into the fun/crazy chaos and decided to just let the kids open their gifts.
Super Nolan!
The gift I called dibs on when Hadley was practically born was the Doll House. I wanted it to be special. I asked around and did some looking online. I think I found the perfect one. It may take up half the room but it's exactly what I wanted her to have.
I think she LOVES it!
I love my little Hadley Girl!
A little ham/cheese/cracker sandwich break mid opening gifts.
Oh Easton there are pros to being the middle child. You have no idea just how lucky you are. He LOVES his mini iPad!
I have no idea how he can sleep through the gift opening!
Easton loved his Target Dog PEZ dispenser
Here are a few of the adult gag gifts given this year. Remember the rules: keep your person a secret, you can only spend $25.00 and it has to do with something about that person.
Remember when Heather ran over Hadley's bike... So does Grandpa!
Do you know how much my mom loves looking for seashells and her beach friend Mario in Cancun..So does Heather.
Apparently Ryan thinks I complain about needing more sleep so he came up with a way for me to sleep when ever and where ever I want.
During all the crazy there was still time for snuggling.
Also time for playing...
and more eating!
The traditional Santa hat picture.
This year Grandma thought it would be fun to add mustaches.
With Spencer being off from school he got some extra friend playing time. Amanda took Spencer and Sam sledding.
Then they played a little floor hockey in the basement. Don'd mind the messy background that's my next organization project!
These two sure are lucky to go on a mini vacation with Grandma and Grandpa!
We did some traveling also. We drove to Madison to stay in a hotel and visit Ryan's side of the family. Easton was excited to sleep on the roll away bed.
Yet somehow we started out with all 4 of us in bed together.
Ryan with all of his cousins minus 2 and their grandma.
The boys got to open a few more gifts...
Before making the LOOOOONG drive home from Platteville.
Meanwhile Spencer is still enjoying his time in Florida. They got to shoot hoops at half time and Spencer even got to be the water boy for one of the games.
Dad brought out the paints for the boys to use. It's really cold here again and we are stuck inside. It's time to get out all of the toys/crafts we've been ignoring all summer.
This is Nolan's favorite gift from Christmas. His version of a doll house.
Poor Nolan is looking rough! He bumped his eye on a table and hit it on the bottom of the pool when he jumped in off a little toy the very next morning. It doesn't seem to bother him though or slow him down!
We watched the Packer game with neighbors tonight. Nolan loves their youngest Ben. He kept wanting to get in his face and play with him.
So with that Christmas 2013 comes to an end. The decorations in our house are slowly disappearing and I'm slowly getting reorganized from all the traveling and presents the boys got. I hope our boys realize how lucky they are to have so many people in their lives who love them as much as they do. We feel lucky to have such great friends and family. I will leave you with probably the cutest picture ever! I will see you next year, here comes 2014!
