December 25, 2010
We have a very busy Christmas day. Since I have been married, I have attended 3 different Christmas celebrations on that day. It only increases with intensity with kids.
So, when I was thinking about documenting a day in December, I figured why not always remember the craziness. So here it is...our Christmas.
Christmas morning started off around 8am, with a freshly out of bed boy...not quite awake yet.
A lively duel using left over wrapping paper rolls to get the blood flowing helps start the day off right.
Before any stockings or presents were opened, we start the day off with prayer and reading of the Christmas story.
Than it is on to our stockings, all items individually wrapped and opened one at a time from youngest to oldest. This was a little tradition that my family did to help make Christmas stretch just a little bit longer.
Colin was a sneaky baby and pulled his first gift out on his own. I guess he just couldn't wait to dive in...or eat it.
After stocking and breakfast, we get to the presents under the tree.
Funniest gift of the day: wire head massager. It created the above reaction on all the men. Worth more than it's $3.99 price tag.
Julie, my parent's old lady dog, insisted on being in the middle of the action.
Handsome striped pj boy with a great big gift. Mommy and baby boy nursing in the background. Pretty much what 75% of my gift pictures look like.
Proper use of Mr. Potato Head's glasses.
Little Santa baby.
My sister, bro-in-law and their dogs...enthralled with the present. I believe it was glass containers with lids. Exciting.
After finishing up with my immediate family, we quickly change out of our jammies and put on our clothes and rushed over to Ryan's parents house for round 2.
My boys get stockings from their Grandma and than we get right to the presents. This year his sister and her husband came in from California, so they opened presents with us. Normally, it is just Ryan's parents, his uncle and grandparents.
Cousin Eric showed Jack the proper form for a chest press, to help with the opening of presents, obviously.
The Fedell/Sturtevant clan.
Again, Jack opening gifts with the help of his cousin while I nurse Colin in the background.
A now full and happy baby reaching for a new playmate.
We ate a quick, light lunch and headed off to my grandparent's house for the last round of Christmas. This is my favorite round of all. Something about the water, the snow and twinkling of lights is just magical. Plus, her food is pretty fantastic.
Our welcoming view. Snow, birch trees and swans.
My mom shows Jack the swans on the water.
Kurt, my brother in law, is the "Santa Elf" this year, who passed out the presents. This gig has gone from just a hat, to Santa boxers worn over pants...to this... Kurt.
Great-grandma needed the help of the baby.
Somehow, the rest of the gift opening pictures did not turn out, or I just forgot to take them... oh well. We opened, we laughed, we loved it all.
Favorite toy of the evening...for the adult males...the peg and hammer toy. I doubt Jack got to play with it for more than 5 minutes.
Another Christmas tradition that my Grandma does, along side her awesome devotional, is the Jesus cake. She always makes one, talks about the reason we are celebrating Christmas and so forth. The littlest ones like the blow out the candles, being that is it Jesus' birthday and all.
The rest of the evening is spent playing games, like euchre, a Michigan tradition.
Great Grandmas cuddle and sing to sweet little babies by the light of the tree.
Clean-up begins by 10pm and people start to head out. Everyone is tired, but happy.
We head back to my parent's house and have my over-stimulated, over-sugared (Jack), 20 minute nap only, still happy but tired boys in bed by 11:30pm.
Whew.
What a day.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.
That was our day in December. What was your day like? Link up here.
