Christmas 2010

We have had an absolutely wonderful two days. Christmas Eve with my family was simply amazing. Christmas Day with my husband and the boys was simply amazing as well.

Christmas Eve started off at my house with my friend, Avie, and her son, Ashton. We exchange gifts with the kids every year. This is something the two bigger boys always look forward to and Colin will look forward to it next year as well. This year he just didn't know what to expect but he loved it once they all started opening.
Three gifts for three amazing little boys!
Two of three boys - both ready to open those gifts!
Cade's gift from Ashton!
Ashton's gift from Cade & Colin!
Colin's gift from Ashton!
Colin has played with this food for two days straight. He loves it!
Nothing like a Christmas hug from friends!

Our next event of the day was going to my mom's house for Christmas Eve dinner. I am using the term dinner loosely because it wasn't really dinner more like appetizers. However, that isn't the part the counts! What counts is we were able to spend time with family and of course the fun Chinese Gift Exchange!
My grandparents - Darlin' (aka Granny) and Dickie. I just love this picture of them. I think I am going to have it printed and put it in my house. It makes me smile every single time I look at it. I have truly been blessed to have such amazing, wonderful grandparents.
Darlin' & Dickie with three of the five great-grandchildren. Colin, Cade, & Della. Cade and Della did much better for the picture taking here. Colin was ready to run around and GO GO GO!
Grammy (my mom) with the two babies, Della and Colin. Della and Colin are four months apart in age - Colin is the oldest. My mom is totally not a baby person so this picture just makes me giggle when I look at it.
Sasha with Della, Me with Colin!
Look at those adorable babies - who really don't want their pictures taken!
Della
She is just precious and has the cutest little personality.
Now here is where the fun begins... The Chinese Gift Exchange!
The rules for this year were - a present is dead after being stolen three times and the first person gets to go last, since they didn't have a chance to steal, but only to be stolen from. We all drew numbers! TJ drew lucky number 1. The funny thing, his wife, Sasha drew number 10 (which was our last number).
Tim & Amy
Amy was number 3. She was so excited about this nutcracker penguin.
And number 10, Sasha, was so very excited about these. I am being serious when I say this. She LOVED these things!

Finally, we made it back home. We have a Christmas Eve tradition to open two presents at our house. Those two presents are always the same every year - new Christmas pajamas and a new Christmas Ornament. I think Cade remembered us doing it last year - at least the opening part. He was so ready to open those presents when we got home. I am not sure he was really all that excited about what was inside, but he had fun tearing those packages open and showing Colin what he should with the packages as well.
Both boys unwrapping their Christmas Eve gifts.
The boys with their ornaments from this year. Colin got Mickey and Cade got an ornament from Where The Wild Things Are.
Cade and I worked very hard at picking this ornament out for Larry. We knew he would love it! It is so totally him. My golfer!
Larry worked really hard at picking out my ornament this year. I seriously, LOVE IT!
The boys and I with the ornament that Larry picked out! The Count Down To Christmas

After opening our ornaments and pajamas, Larry and I changed the boys into their Christmas PJ's and went out to look at Christmas lights. We went down a street here in St. Marys that was so beautifully decorated.
Cade obviously didn't make it through the whole light display. He was exhausted from all the playing with Carson and my brother, TJ.
However, he woke up when we got home - just long enough to get Santa's cookies and milk out.
Once, everyone was in bed and asleep. Santa stopped by our house.