Christmas recap

We all survived Christmas!!  We had celebrations spread over 4 days, luckily with a day off in the middle.  We were busy, saw a lot of people, ate too much, opened a lot of presents, and spent hours celebrating.  It was great.

We started with my immediate family (parents, sisters, BILs, niece & nephews) celebration at my parents' on Saturday the 21st.  Throughout my childhood and until about 4 years ago we did our big celebration Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Now with managing work schedule of 2 healthcare workers, various days off, and in-law schedules we do a different day every year for our big celebration.  This year this is the day that worked.  It's nice that we can spend a whole day focused on each other instead of people rushing off at separate times or messing up individual families.  All being together is more important than the actual day. =)

drumming with a maraca on his first present

Anyways, we spent most of the day (almost 9 hours) at my parents and had a lovely day.  Luke has little interest in opening presents but did pick a favorite toy at Grandma's (a maraca) and liked to "drum" on his presents and play with his big cousins.  I think he spends so much time with Matt & I that he's always amazed there are other little people in the world. 

trying to get Luke interested in his present

Up until about 5 years ago we all bought presents for all other sisters and BILs.  That got to be too much and now we do a sister/BIL exchange which really cuts things down. Every one exchanges with Mom & Dad and we all have godchildren now within the family.  And we all do stocking stuffers for each other.  It makes for a lot of gifts but not overwhelming amounts.  

Matt, Luke, and I at my parents'

Kids seem to like Matt. 

Luke & his big cousin Emerson got matching slipper socks

The whole family!!  18 of us now with 2 more on the way!

Just the "kids"

Grandma & Grandpa with all the grandkids

It was a late night but such a wonderful day.  And Luke was the perfect amount of sleep by the time we got home and went right to bed.  Perfect.

Sunday the 22nd we went to Ohio for Christmas with my Mom's extended family  (Grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins).  It was bittersweet being all together again.  The last time I saw many of these people was at my Grandma's funeral.  It was weird being all together again without her there.  My Grandpa is such a wonderfully positive person but there were definitely some tears shed (really should expect that at the K of C hall now!).  I said after my Grandma's funeral that these are people I am proud to be related to and that still stands true.  Good people that are a lot of fun to be around.   

Luke opening his present from Great Grandpa

Monday was our day off at home!!!!  YAY!!! 

Christmas Eve was actually a pretty calm day.  Matt worked until 1 and Luke and I took care of last minute things around the house.  We opened some presents before spending the evening at Matt's parents house to celebrate with Matt's immediate family. (Apparently that's a weird tradition we have - opening presents throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  We used to do some Christmas Eve afternoon, after midnight Mass, Christmas morning, Christmas afternoon, and Christmas evening but the post-midnight Mass one has been cut with Luke now.)  Anyways, spent time with Matt's family until Mass.  We exchanged presents with our 3 godchildren on that side and Luke's godfather.  Luke survived late Mass. 

Christmas morning we got to be home for only the second time in our marriage!!  It's so exciting!!  Luke slept until after 9 which was really the best present he could give us!!  We made a special breakfast, opened presents, Luke took a 2 hour nap, and finished It's a Wonderful Life.  It was perfect family time.

We visited with both sets of parents later in the day and exchanged presents with Matt's parents. Nice to see all 4 parents (and my little sister and, briefly, my other sister and BIL) and actually get time with them away from the busy celebrations.  We finally finished Luke's presents around 7:30pm (past his bedtime) and with each other after Luke was in bed.  

apparently he likes straws at least

It was a busy few days but so wonderful.  We all got so many lovely gifts, some of which have already been put to use (Matt installed our new baby gate the night we brought it home.)  For so many years our Christmases have been pretty much the same every year.  It's weird to think that now Luke will be so different at each one.  This year he had little interest in presents but by next year he'll have that figured out.  He brings so much extra joy (and toys, we have a lot more toys under the tree this year!) to our celebrations. 

I organized our presents under the tree.  Luke's section is bigger than mine & Matt's put together.

He also brings a new understanding of the miracle of Christmas.  I can appreciate a little more what Mary & Joseph were experiencing as new parents how having been through that situation.  

We have so many wonderful things to be thankful for. =)