Confessions of an Imperfect Mom: Christmas 2014!!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Christmas 2014!!

Our family had a fabulous Christmas! I hope everyone else did, also! Thankfully all of us were healthy this year, except Arnold, who had a cold or something, we are not sure what!

On Christmas Eve we went over to my inlaw's house for lunch like we do every year. My Mother-in-law makes a big spread of food-- turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, sweet tea, desserts, and all kinds of good stuff. We all eat, rest a bit, clean up the place, then open up presents. I loved the gifts we got my niece this year, she was excited over everything! I loved watching her face when she opened it all! :) Arnold and I got some new towels, and I got some jewelry and the cutest DACHSHUND holder for my earrings! The kids got a lot of toys.. the funniest thing Brooke got was a Barbie that had a puppy that poops.. actually came with little balls of "poop." All the kids sat there and played with that thing for the longest time, it was so funny. Later that afternoon we took everything home to put away and I went to the grocery store to buy last minute food to eat on Christmas day. Seems everyone else had the same idea-- that place was packed! I got lots of snack-type foods that we love and even a Happy Birthday Jesus Cake!! :)

That evening we went to our church for the Christmas Eve candlelight service. I LOVED getting to go... ever since starting my job at the church I haven't been to many church services lately and I've missed it! Great music and message like usual! It was a "family" service, so the kids went with us. They did pretty well, and I was proud of them. We had communion at the end and then held the candles and sang Silent Night. The kids were most excited about getting to hold their candles... and I was a nervous wreck telling them not to move! ;) Alex, Ariel and Brielle have been in town this week and they even surprised us and showed up at church! After the service we went back to Mom and Dad's house for dinner. It is a tradition for mom to make her famous homemade lasanga every year, but this year she had to work on Christmas Eve! So DAD made it!! My dad is actually a very good cook, so I wasn't worried, but I still gave him a hard time ;) But it was delicious!!! After eating dinner we opened gifts. I realized after handing out gifts to my niece Brielle i had gone a little overboard but what can I say? I was excited about having a new family member to buy for!!!! :) Mom got me some new boots (her and Dad had already really given us our gift earlier this year- our awesome new dryer!!!) and Alex and Ariel got us a giftcard!! Caleb got a new lego set from his grandparents that he wasn't expecting and was so excited! The girls got Flutterbye fairies and Brooke got new Sketcher Air shoes that she had been begging for!!! She has already worn them several times. AND!!! We got the greatest gift of all by finding out that we are getting a brand new baby NIECE, due in April of 2015!!!! They shared with us the news about her being a girl that night, and brought out pink balloons.. that was a lot of fun. We can't wait to meet her!! :)

Christmas morning the kids got up early but not AS early as last year, so that was a plus!!! I think they loved everything they got from Santa and from us. We spent the whole mornings opening gifts, throwing away paper, and trying to break down boxes and fit them all in the trashcan! I hate how trashed the house gets on the day of Christmas! Max the cat thought everything was so excited and ran around the living room playing with wrapping paper.. and trying to climb into the boxes and the girls' American Girl tent ;) Sheldon was not very impressed however, and slept the whole morning in my lap ;) We ate some cinnamon buns for breakfast and the kids ate way too much candy from their stockings!!

That afternoon after we got ready, we went over to my Grandpa's house to visit some family coming in from out of town. It was their first time getting to meet Alex's wife and daughter.. so that was a lot of fun. We all hung out for awhile and talked and opened a few presents. The girls had fun showing off their new American Girl dolls and Puppy Surprises to everyone ;) Then we went over to Mom and Dad's house for dinner again. Mom made a beef tenderloin for dinner, asparagus wrapped in bacon, and potatoes. Yes, my parents spoil us big time when we come over to eat... I miss their home cooking sooo much since I got married!!! Anyway, we saved the stockings for that night since the night before had been so chaotic. Mom got me a beautiful necklace, some bath and body works lotion and wallflowers, a Mary Kay Clairosonic type thing, a beautiful Santa decoration for my house.. and even dad stuck me some B&Bworks lotion in there.. he said he picked the "Country Chic" kind because it reminded him of me, haha ;)

We had a great time getting to visit my parents so much this week, and spend time with Alex, Ariel, and Brielle, since they live SO far away in Florida!!! They went back home this morning!! We will miss them!!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead and a Happy New Year!! :)

Lunch at my inlaw's house. Don't know how I got to sit at the head of the table! ;)