Christmas Morning

Christmas day we mostly spent as a family of four.  We opened presents and stockings as soon as the boys woke up at 7, and had a leisurely morning of playing and getting ready for church.  A Sunday Christmas is special, and it definitely changed things up a bit from our usual Christmas morning routine.

  Every year we switch off which grandparents' house we celebrate Christmas day.  Since Christmas fell on a Sunday this year and everyone in the family goes to a different church, we decided to wait until Monday so that we would all have a full day together.  I really enjoyed going to church the morning of Christmas though.  It felt good and right to gather with our church family and celebrate our Saviour's birth together that day.  As parents, we say that it is what the holiday is about but actually going to worship forces the focus on Christ instead of just paying lip service between the opening of presents and stockings. 

   

 Christmas felt special this year and part of that was probably because Steven is a year older and understands so much more of what Christmas is about.  Steven had his first communion 2 Sundays before Christmas (we are trying to recover the pics on a memory card that decided that day would be a good day to break).  We feel so much joy that God is working on his heart and Steven loves Jesus.  The last month or so, he has been carrying Charlton's bible around with him and "reading" it.  Christmas morning we gave him his own- same color as Daddy's- with his name on it.  He was thrilled!

 James was all about the festivities once he got a snack cup full of cereal.  That boy does not wait for his food so a later breakfast was out of the question. 

 Playing with a new toy

 James is opening his present from Steven.

 Steven is showing James how to use his new book.

 Alien Legos he's been asking for

 Good-bye diaper bag!

 With my boys

 Dressed for church; the boys have on their outfits that Mammaw bought for them.

 Steven enjoyed a lollipop from his stocking after lunch.

 A great day, and to top it off we spend the evening with friends from church.   We are so blessed to be surrounded by such a great community of believers.  

Christmas Eve

This year we spent Christmas Eve at my parent's house.  Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Kyle, and Cousin Tommy were also there and we had a fantastic day with all of them.  The boys loved playing with Tommy; Steven showed him things and helped him open his presents.  In fact, I think he helped most of us with a present at some point.  He loves to help so when it comes to presents he was even more enthusiastic than usual.   

James in his snowman onesie that Mammaw gave him.

 Helping Tommy open his present from us.  

 Pappaw showing James how to use his hammer.

 Cousins playing

 Tommy showing off his crawling skills.

 Playing with Mammaw's Hallmark doggy.

 We waited until the last minute to stick James in for the cousins' picture.

 It worked for about a second.

 And then things feel apart...

 With the grandparents

All I want for Christmas is a good family photo

Every year we take family pictures.  Once a year is all Charlton will agreed to.  I love doing it, or maybe I should say that I love having the pictures.  I actually dread the day we take them because you never know if the kids will cooperate.  I need to just relax and enjoy the time outside with my family...but that's not my style.  I prefer to be stressed.  Why?  I don't know- gotta stop that.

I knew this year would be particularly challenging because James is "at that age," which can be translated as a difficult stage.  You know what I'm talking about moms.  Time with kids between 1 and 3 years can get a little dicey.   I told my photographer friend, Katie, to be prepared.  But I forgot one thing: Katie is a magician with kids.  James (as predicted) did not cooperate very well.  I was worried that we wouldn't get any good pictures because as soon as we picked him up or sat him on a bench, he would duck his head and scream.  I just knew all our pictures would look like this...

Surprisingly, there's only one picture of James like this but several of me looking stressed.  Figures.  I've learned my lesson.   Like I said, my friend Katie from Katie Lee Photography, works wonders with children.  Steven actually posed for her this year which Charlton and I thought was hilarious.  Check out all the wonderful pictures she took of us late November.   If you need a photographer, please give her a call.  I am convinced that we would not have one great photo of our family if it weren't for Katie.