Christmas 2015

We had a great Christmas {despite feeling like I could use another week to prepare for it}.  After returning from Utah the last thing I wanted to do was spend all day preparing our Christmas Eve feast so I made a quick stop to Trader Joe's where everything is delicious even if it's pre-made and we ended up having a delicious dinner with chicken we can't stop talking about.  Randy took the boys to see Star Wars while I prepped, cleaned, and wrapped more presents.  We ate dinner on our china dishes and used my new silverware for the first time that Randy bought me for my birthday.  Faaancy!

My boys caused quite the scene as they walked through the theater.  Darth Vader never looked so cute!

The delicious but not homemade potatoes

Our faaaancy dinner

After dinner we had our traditional little family night where we shared our gifts for Jesus, then read the Christmas story as we set out the nativity pieces from our new set my dad bought for us in Jerusalem.  The night went well but we were missing our friend Larry in Rhode Island who has joined us for the past couple years to share this special Christmas Eve night.  Once we finished with the meaningful stuff it was on to the giving of brother's gifts where the boys get to open their gifts from their brother along with their new Christmas pajamas.  I think this part has become better than Christmas morning.  The boys are thrilled with their gift and are so grateful to their brother for giving it to them.  It warms my heart every time.

The Nativity

Bean modeling the new Christmas pj's

Parker hugging Landon after he opened his gift which was his favorite gift of all

More hugging after the gifts.  I love it!

It was another late night for Randy and I as we made our last Christmas preparations.  Luckily our friends were out of town so we took advantage of their empty garage for assembling things.  We told our boys not to wake us up until 7am which they patiently waited for despite it feeling much too early for Randy and me. I'd say the highlights this year were Marcus getting a phone {it's not a smart phone and he's the last kid in his grade to get one so he was thrilled}, and Randy getting a new, huge TV.  I bought it for him on a Black Friday deal and somehow managed to surprise him with it Christmas morning.  He wasted no time setting it up and now we are wondering how we've survived with our old, small TV for the last ten years.  Oh, and Santa brought the boys a foosball table.  It's fun for everyone and gives Marcus and his tween friends something to do so I'm glad we've got it.
Our friends invited us over for Christmas brunch and then we came home and napped while watching Christmas movies.  It was a good day and nice to spend it with just our little family.

Waiting to see what Santa brought

"A new phone?!  I'm speechless!"

the carnage afterwards

Assembling new Lego sets is one of my favorite parts of Christmas day.  I will be sad when we outgrow this phase completely.  Marcus already has.

Randy wasted no time assembling this baby.  I'm sad I didn't get a picture of it wrapped in the huge box and tied with a ribbon.  It looked like a refrigerator!

Brunch with the Hild's and yes, that is ice cream to go on the waffles.  Delicious!

Christmas day naps can't be beat!