Christmas 2014

This year for Christmas we decided to stay home and enjoy it with just our little family. In 2007, Cody and I went on a cruise for Christmas, so that year we didn't give each other gifts and didn't go see any family during the holidays. While I absolutely loved the cruise, when Christmas day came, I was kind of sad that we were alone and didn't have anyone else to be with! However this year, I didn't feel that way at all. I love just having our family together, just worrying about our own traditions and doing whatever we want to do for us. Don't get me wrong, I tried to get other people to come visit us! I just didn't want to travel :)

The girls were so excited on Christmas Eve. Luckily I had started wrapping presents a couple nights in advance, so we weren't up too late after they went to bed.

 The next morning I woke up early to make breakfast and every once and a while would hear the door to the girl's room open, ever so slowly, and one of them call out.

"Mama…"
"Yes?"
"Can we come out NOW?"

I remember how long Christmas morning takes from when I was little! Finally around 7:30 or so I woke up Cody and we let the girls come out.

Santa had brought two big presents, so they were set up next to the fireplace. They had gotten a new kitchen (something Preslie has been asking Santa for for 2 years) and a train table. Originally Santa was only going to bring the train table, but I felt so sad Preslie wasn't ever getting her kitchen and I found a friend that was selling her Kidkraft for only $50! I was so excited. Santa loves a good deal :) 

At first the girls only saw the tree and the presents and didn't even register the Santa gifts at all. Preslie came down first and just stared at the kitchen like she didn't understand what it was at first and didn't know why it was there…and then it all clicked and she started screaming like a crazy woman. 

One of our traditions growing up was that my mom would always sit next to the Christmas tree and hand out presents one at a time. We would all watch the person opening and it was always in a random order. It was awesome and made Christmas morning drag out niiiice and long - just the way I like it. One of Cody's traditions growing up was passing out all the presents right away and then going around and opening them in order from youngest to oldest. When Cody and I got married I swear we have never fought about anything like we fight about Christmas traditions :) We both love our traditions so much and think they're easier/better/more wonderful. So this year I decided we need to figure things out for ourselves and not do traditions from only one family. I like the idea of going in order like Cody's family did, but still was too sad to pass out all the presents at once. It makes the tree look bare instantly and makes me so sad! So instead I would pass out only one present to every one, and then we went in order to open them.

Charlee modeling her new jammies from Grandma and Papa. 

She hugged her Olaf all morning! She loves him so much

This year we decided to have a boy Christmas. Well, Cody did. Eventually I got on board. We have so many princesses and girl toys that I'm never even excited to do Christmas shopping because I just don't want any more STUFF in our house. But I knew that the girls would absolutely love some trucks and cars and "boy toys" if they only had access to them. They totally loved it. …Well, except for when Preslie opened up her Nerf Gun. She didn't know what it was and took one look at it, turned to Cody and said, "I am NOT a boy!" But after Chloe opened hers and we got them out to show them how they work, she was SO excited. They play with those things all the time now!

This was our crazy aftermath. It was long and drawn out and a mess and happy and perfect. 

Merry Christmas!