Merry Christmas!

 Our Christmas Eve was on a Saturday this year.  Andy helped the kids decorate cookies that day as I have been feeling a little down and out with some back and hip pain.  We finished up all the last minute things that needed to be done, and then we went to Brio on the Plaza for dinner.  We thought we would try something different, and I think we all agreed it wasn't the best meal.  Back to Rye for us next year!  We got home, and the kids immediately wanted to open their sibling gifts.  This was a funny one this year as Briley had Atticus, and Atticus had Briley.  They ended up buying each other the exact same thing.  Those two are so similar, and this is one of the many moments it showed through.  

After presents, they opened their pajamas, and were off to get things ready for Santa.  Milk and cookies were sat out, reindeer food sprinkled outside, Christmas pjs on, The Christmas Story, and T'was the Night Before Christmas.  The kids were then off to bed, and Mom and Dad were off to bed shortly after.  The kids let us sleep in for the first time ever, and it made all the difference in our energy level for the day.  

Our Christmas morning was as memorable as always.  I love that as the kids continue to grow up, their excitement for Christmas never changes.  The joy that I see on their faces as they make their way down the stairs Christmas morning, will never get old for me.  This Christmas, Santa brought Baylor and Atticus electric scooters, Finley got a Garmin watch, and Briley got a Keurig coffee machine.  After the excitement of those gifts, we started to pass out the other gifts.  In a blink of any eye it seems, the gifts were all opened except for four little ones hidden in the Christmas tree.  The kids had thought for sure we were going to Hawaii this year even though we told them many times that we weren't.  I'm still in treatment, and that is what we always said we would do as an end of treatment celebration.  Well, we passed the little gifts out, and they opened George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and John Kennedy.  They looked at us puzzled, and then Finley said, "Are we going to D.C?"  Yes we are!  It's very similar to Hawaii;) The kids were slow to get excited, but I think they are all in now.  They have been watching You Tube videos on all the different things you can do there.  

We then had our Christmas breakfast, and the kids played for a bit before we got ready to go back home.  We were on our way by the afternoon.  We stopped by to see Andy's family, and later that evening Santa showed up.  It's always a mixture of excitement, and fear for some of the kiddos.  I always enjoy the pictures that are taken.  We then went to Rick and Lisa's for their Christmas celebration.  The kids played Left, Right, Center.  Finley walked away with 40.00!  We had dinner, and opened a few presents before making our way back to get ready for Midnight Mass.  Amity decided to join us this year.  I don't know if she regretted it when we didn't get home until 2:00 in the morning.  It did have beautiful music as always, (minus the trumpet players), and the priest was very sweet.  As terrible as I was feeling with my back, I was not going to miss this mass.  

The next morning was here before we knew it.  The kids were all excited to see what Santa left them Christmas morning.  Christmas with the cousins is always a fun time.  After we finished presents and breakfast, we went to my Dad's to celebrate.  The kids always get excited about what he is going to get them because he typically does one big gift for all of them.  This year they got an Occlus, and they have been having a blast since they got it.

That night we had Christmas dinner with Andy's family, and then we had our gift exchange for siblings and cousins.  I got one of the funniest gifts from Lissy.  She made a shadow box with all the funny moments of our ski trip last winter.  We have proudly displayed it in the guest bedroom.

The next morning was Christmas with my Mom.  The kids really slept in this morning.  It has been a long few days for them.  When they finally woke up, we opened gifts and had our breakfast.  I had to get home for a doctor's appointment the next day, so we had an early dinner of prime rib before leaving.  It was delicious, and I always look forward to it.  

I wished I had felt better over the Christmas break, but I did my best to enjoy the moments.  The kids said it was the best Christmas ever, which is what they say every year.  Above all, I am just so thankful that they had a wonderful Christmas, and that so many memories were made.