A Very Merry Christmas

Christmas was awesome this year, and I'm sure it will only get more fun as Gavin gets older. I was lucky that Christmas Eve fell on one of my normal days off, so we hosted the family at our house this year. On the menu was a hodgepodge of items...lasagna, corn casserole, and pumpkin pies by me...sweet potatoes, salads, desserts, and goodies from our lovely guests...and a prime rib that Dylan received as a Christmas gift from his boss. I didn't know people gave meat as gifts, but I guess it's something that happens. We enjoyed the red meat for a special occasion and will probably not eat something that fancy ever again, except for maybe next year at Christmas. It was a lovely night!

Christmas Eve at our house!

 Gavin woke up bright and early Christmas morning, and we opened our stockings, and then my parents joined us for more gift opening. Everyone made a haul this year. It was so fun. Gavin received a trike from Santa and various other toys with wheels, big and small, from family. Books, a swing, a nice wooden children's picnic table, educational toys, a personalized sleeping bag, and a balance bike! He's enjoying everything so much that I just let him push all his toys around in the backyard for the last 30 minutes in 42 degree weather, even though he already has a runny nose and a cough. I figure little boys belong outside with trucks and trikes, even if it means a runny nose and a dirty face. It's what childhood is all about, right?

Everyone gets two stockings!

Obsessed with the Strider from his Aunties! Thanks T & M!

Santa came!

The trike was a hit

His new teddy bear sleeping bag from Nonna and Papa

Nonna got Gavin a travel neck pillow

He wasn't as excited about ripping paper as I thought he would be. 

Oooo, what is that?

One of his many toys on wheels.

After gifts at home, we headed across the street for more gifts and our traditional holiday breakfast...egg casserole, monkey bread, and fruit. Then, back home for FaceTime with the Oregon Millers, which made us hope we can get back there for Christmas Day again some time soon! G went down for a nap, we worked on getting the house back in shape, then it was back across the street for an early dinner of ham and homemade rolls. To say that we were well-fed this Christmas would be an understatement. I enjoyed it so much, but I am very much looking forward to detoxing after the New Year.

Monkey bread...a tradition

Hudson made us all place cards

A perfect end to a great night!

We went to bed with our hearts full of gratitude and love. What a fantastic family we have, and we were so fortunate this holiday season to do so many fun activities with our little boy. We all awoke early the next morning to head to work, and everyone's working for the weekend around here. Not my most favorite way to spend the weekend after Christmas, or any weekend for that matter, but it's actually just fine. Dylan's busy with the usual pre-and-post holiday travel rush, Gavin will have spent some major QT with his grandparents by Sunday night, and I'll earn some extra change working inventory at the pharmacy. Never a bad thing just after Christmas. But, I'll be glad when it's all over, for sure. By this time next weekend, the leftovers will be cleaned out, the decorations will start coming down, and we will have welcomed a fresh new year with reasonable and practical resolutions. I always think that the end of the Christmas season will leave me sad, but when it's over, I'm always glad for the fresh start. Bring on 2015!