Christmas 2013

What?  Most bloggers don't do their Christmas posts almost a month late?  Oh.  I guess I didn't get that memo.  Maybe I'll remember for next year.  Lucky for me, by the power of the 'schedule' feature it will be posted like I was extremely timely.  

One of my favorite parts about this year's Christmas was that it didn't seem to go by as quickly as it normally does.  Sometimes I feel like there's so much preparation and anticipation and Christmas comes and goes before you realize it started.  This year seemed much more relaxed.  It was the best. 

Last year, we broke old traditions and started new ones for our family.  It seemed to work well so we stuck with it for this year.  We invited my mom down to our house for Christmas Eve.  She comes to church with us and then we have a delicious dinner.  For Christmas 2012 we opened all presents, even the ones from Gram, Christmas morning.  That overwhelmed Miss Nora so we tried something new this year.

On Christmas Eve, the kids opened all the gifts from Gram.  And they got to open one gift from Dan and I - their Christmas pjs.  Every year on Christmas Eve they'll be able to open their Christmas pjs.  

Even this naked lady got a pair.

Christmas morning!! SO much
to love about this picture.

Then, Christmas morning, they opened presents from us and Santa!  That worked much, much better.  

After every gift, Myles wanted to take a
little time to play with it.  Nora on the other
hand, while grateful for her gifts, wanted
to move right along and see what else
was waiting under the tree.

All done opening.  Time to play.

While the kids played with all their new items the adults got ready and cleaned up a bit.  By nap time, we were on the road to Wisconsin to celebrate with the other side of the family.  

Cooing for Grauntie Mary.

A girl and her godfather.

"Reading" a new book to Jess.

After starting to get fussy, things turned
right around after she got her clothes off.

The arms and legs flail when she's talked to.  Love the
dickens out of her.

It's hard to imagine this girl will be walking around, tearing open her own presents, trying to eat the wrapping paper and sitting in the empty boxes (which, who are we kidding, will be the most played with "present") next year.  Amazing what the first year does to a child.