CHRISTMAS POST, POST CHRISTMAS

A little late, I know, but here's the run down and pics from Christmas for our family.

We spend Christmas Eve every year at my Nandy's house with my dad's side of the family. This year was especially exciting because my Aunt Karen and her twin boys, Christian and Christopher, have just moved here from Georgia. My cousins are thirteen years old, and Bennett ADORES them. Over the holidays, Michael had them and my brother, Joseph, over for a Wii/X-box/pizza fest. I'm excited to have these boys in town as role models and examples of godly growing boys for my own little buddies.

On Christmas morning both boys actually slept in, something I don't expect to last too many more years :). Bennett was excited to see Santa ate all but a few crumbs of his cookies, and couldn't believe the huge tub of Thomas the Train stuff Santa brought him and Jasper this year ("Santa" got a STEAL on the box at a consignment sale last summer). Jasper was mostly a bystander this year - he really didn't care much about opening or getting presents. I thought he might get into it more this year, but he's still my easy-going little dude, happy to observe and take it all in.

After opening presents at our house, we headed over to Poppy and Mimi's house for the traditional breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and then everyone loaded up in their cars to head to Christmas day with my mom's side of the family.

My Grandpa and Granny sold their house (the only house I've EVER done Christmas morning at!) and moved into a retirement home this past year, so we had Christmas at my Aunt Julie's house instead. We ate lots of food, hung out with family, played games, and watched as Bennett and Jasper's antics entertained us all (a lot of wrestling, play-acting, hiding, etc. was involved).

(I forgot to take pictures!!)

After Christmas, we traveled to Searcy to see Papa and Nanna and stayed through New Year's. It was rainy and cold pretty much the whole time we were there, but my in-laws are such wonderful hosts - they kept us stocked with more food than we knew what to do with, a lot of toys and fun for the boys indoors, the traditional poker playing at night, and a date night for me and Michael the night before we left, which we used to go to a good Mexican restaurant outside of town, and the new Chronicles of Narnia movie. It's fun for me to watch Bennett and Jasper grow closer to their Nanna and Papa every time we visit. We live down the street from my parents and they see them all the time, but we only get to see Michael's parents twice a year. But that doesn't phase my boys at all. They love both sets of their grandparents so much, and love seeing them every time we go.

Things to note strictly for myself about the 2010 Christmas season that I'll want to remember someday:

*Bennett is still obsessed with the blow up "snow globes," as he calls them, and begged to drive or walk by them multiple times every day.

*Bennett knows all the basic Christmas songs now (the fun, kid ones) and we had a lot of fun having sing-a-longs in the car.

*Bennett understands the "reason for the season" this year and has a working knowledge of the Christmas story.

*Jasper ooohed and ahhhhed over presents that caught his eye this year. He's such an easy-going, easy-to-please little guy, and it was so fun giving him toys this year and watching his little eyes light up.

*Jasper LOVES going outside. The kid would camp out and live in our front yard if I let him. It's been fun so far the winter to bundle him up in layers and let him loose. :)

*It has been thrilling to watch Jasper WALK everywhere, saying hi to people, playing, running around, opening presents, etc. I still don't take a single step for granted. It still amazes me that my baby is walking. Thank you, Lord.

*Both kids have been FAR less sick than in previous years, which has been SO nice. It's already January and they've had two colds each (although I suspect Bennett actually had the croup at one point, but not positive about that). I am SOOOO thankful for this!

And there's all you ever wanted to know about our Christmas in a single blog post.