Christmas 2012

I am sure I don't have to tell anyone that this Christmas was better than the last two.  Simon is here, and everyday I feel grateful to have him.  And although I still felt the pain of missing Lucas and Caleb, I was still able to enjoy the season more than I have the past couple years.

 

We always get together with some of our closest friends throughout the holiday season.  We had our annual Parents Christmas party on the 15th.  This was an absolute blast.  Everyone's children are with sitters and we can to enjoy time together without our kiddos.  We love them, but it is nice to reconnect as adults sometimes.  I didn't take any pictures, but there was tons of food, and I laughed more than I have in ages.  I am so grateful for the friends we have been blessed with.  They have walked through this life with our family, and I couldn't ask for better.

 

Our family always opens up a present on Christmas Eve. Normally it is just the Christmas pajamas, but we decided to shake it up a little this year.  Colton and Ethan took time and special thought in picking out gifts for each other, Simon, Willy, and I.  We really wanted them to open those gifts so they could appreciate the thought and be grateful to each other.  It was so much fun!  The excitement they had, oh dear! And Willy requested I open my gift from him and the boys...

 

 

I am truly loved!  They named her Rosie, and she cleans my floors every night after the boys go to bed.  It makes it so much easier to keep them clean, and the boys feel more motivation to have ALL their toys picked up before bed. 

 

We then headed out to Willy's parents house for our Christmas Eve gathering and food.  Oh the fun here!  And when I walked in and looked under the tree, and I saw Simon's stocking, my heart just swelled.  My baby boy's name on his very own stocking.

Ethan's face with each and every gift he opened.  Priceless!

Simon checking out the lights and music.

 

Playing Connect Four Launchers with Grandma and Grandpa.  This game really is fun!

We came home that night and the boys headed straight for bed.  They were so excited for Santa, that there were no problems there.  And I set off to wrapping.  I have decided that besides scaling down next year, Santa's elves will take gifts out of the store packaging (minus legos) and put them in plain, square boxes. Wrapping those awkward boxes is tough, and frustrating the second and third time around.

After Santa visited.

 

 Santa got tired and left a few toys unwrapped under the tree.  The boys were so excited and were able to open and play with them while I fed Simon.

 

Not sure about the stocking

 

Snickers digging into his stocking.



Loving on his elephant rattle.  This is quickly becoming a top toy.

 

The mess.

 

But hey, check out our new floors!

Ethan and the marble maze he asked Santa for.  I think gifts like this should come already assembled next year.  

 

No excitement here!  Santa left this for the boys also.  They have been barely holding on for Christmas to see if they would get Skylander's Giants....they even got it for the Wii!

 

Happy Simon

This is a Christmas gift from Colton and his teacher Mrs. C.  She is so amazingly thoughtful, and I am grateful. For my baby boys to be remembered just swells my heart, especially when it's someone who is relatively new to our lives.  Thank you!

The boys Monday morning.  Taking a break from enjoying Christmas haul to read a lego magazine.

Christmas was good this year.  2012 was really good to us.  And as I held and snuggled my baby Simon, not a moment went by when I didn't think the Lord for my so many blessings.