Christmas 2010

If you know us well, you know that Miles and I adore Christmas, and everything about it. We cannot WAIT for Thanksgiving to get here to put up our lights and decorate. Naturally we are anxious to pass our love of the holiday on to our kids. We tried very hard this year to help Miles V know what is going on. We had fun teaching him about Santa as well as teaching him the REAL reason we celebrate; Jesus's birth. Well, my husband who is an incredible Clark Griswold at decorating the house last year purchased an inflatable manger to go in our front yard. When we put it up this year we talked to Miles V about baby Jesus, and everyday when he saw the lights in the back come on he wanted us to take him outside to see "Baby Jesus" up up up! He is so adorable, and we had a TOTAL blast with him this year! Next year will be doubly as fun when Max is old enough to know what was going on!

During the holidays, I introduced Miles V to what USED to be my favorite Christmas song. "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas." I say used to because after hearing the same song 14 times a day, it kind of grates on you. :) But it gives him such joy that it is hard to say no.

We hosted our annual Christmas Eve dinner, and it was perfect! Prime rib, twice baked potatoes, sweet potato casserole, broc & cheese casserole... mmmmm. This year, we dearly missed our sister Amber, Charlie, and our nephew James. But, hopefully they will be here next year, and we did get to Skype with them on Christmas day!

Here are a few pictures to enjoy from Christmas Eve!

Santa called Miles V on Skype. It was the coooolest thing! You know Santa, always up on the latest technology!


The whole gang!






Our precious family!)


Miles's annual Christmas Eve gift (new jammies!!)




Christmas day, we got up and opened our presents as a family. As always, Santa was too good to all of us! When we were done opening, we got ready, (left a gigantic mess that took 5 days to clean up) and headed to Gma and Papa's house for Christmas #2!!! Santa was toooooo good to us there, as usual! Papa made an amazing breakfast, and we got to "see" Auntie Amber, Uncle Charlie, and cousin James!






Miles Skyping with James :)









Next, we headed to Great Grandpa Chrone and Great Grandma Jill's house for more amazing food, and fun times with the Shivers--Nancy and Jim, and Jake and Clarissa! We attempted to put the boys down to nap there, and we were 1 for 2, getting Max to sleep for awhile. After they got up, we headed over to G-Gma Jean's house for Christmas #3. We enjoyed yet MORE delicious food, gifts, and then headed outside to play a gigantic game of touch football. I have to say it, of course, my team won!!!!

After the boys actually got some sleep at G-Gma's house, we packed up our BRIMMING car and headed over to Mimi's house, where yet again Santa was too good to us. After my very strategic and organized husband packed the last remaining gifts into our car, we headed home to crash into a present/food induced coma. We layed around and did nothing for the next week. Ok wait, that was a beautiful dream I had... we actually cleaned up a bit, and did manage to get some sleep.


Christmas this year, despite really missing some of our family, was amazing. We are blessed beyond words, and I don't only mean with the material stuff. We are blessed with a God who loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us so that we would not have to be separated from Him eternally. And that is truly the reason for the season!!!

Now Christmas is gone, and we look forward to a wonderful 2011. And like my cousin Susie said, Christmas may be gone, but it looks like the hippopotamus song is here to stay!!!

God Bless!

Thoughts...

When we found out we were pregnant with Max, I admit, amid all the excitement there was a tiny shred of dread as well. (Horrible, to admit, I know). Miles V was 9 months old, I felt like I was FINALLY start to get a good routine down, and had started "settling" back into doing life. I don't know why it took so long after I had him to start feeling that way, but it did. I was kinda a mess, and scattered brained for the first 9 months (example, leaving him with my mother-in-law, and forgetting to leave her the car seat so she could bring him home). Yea, that was one thing of many that happened. Anyway, so I was a little apprehensive about adding another baby to the mix. Throughout the pregnancy I tried to do as much as humanly possible to get the house organized (not just clean, but "Ang-approved" organized) so I'd be ready when Max got here. Silly me for thinking my house would ever be up to my standards. BUT, Max came, and yes, the first 2 months or so were sort of chaotic. Miles was home for two weeks, my mom was here, etc, and so we really didn't start getting into a good routine for awhile. But soon enough, much to my relief, Max (my little champion sleeper) not only was sleeping through the night, but had settled into an amazing nap schedule as well. I'm pretty sure his brother, even at 18 months didn't have his routine down quite like Max does now. Luckily for me, part of his routine includes napping at the same time as his older brother... which usually allows me two hours a day (plus more on the days that I decide to get my butt out of bed before the kiddos) to do all that comes along with being a mommy. Cleaning, cooking, planning meals, paying bills, working on Mary Kay, doing laundry, planning activities to do with the boys, etc. And on the weekends it allows me 2 hours in the middle of the day with my wonderful husband. Ah, sigh. Life is good.

My point in this whole post is just to say how bad I feel for doubting adding Max to our family. While when he is awake he seems to be much more fussy than I remember Miles V being, he is an amazing little sleeper, and his personality has had me wrapped around his little finger from day one. Watch out, ladies, he and his brother are going to be heart breakers one day, I think! And I cannot IMAGINE life with out him!!!