Why we love Christmas (but we're also glad it's over!)

Instead of many Christmas blogs, I have one huge, gigantic one. Complete with about a million pictures. I won't be offended if you fall asleep half way through it!

To start off, a few random pics:

Luke and Evie with cousin Ryan

Yay for cute, matching pajamas -- a first year tradition that I think we'll be keeping.

Now for the list, why we love Christmas:

- We got to see everyone (I mean everyone!) in our family. Ken's parents came last weekend, then my parents and sisters came over Christmas. Luke loves, loves, loves his grandparents. And we basically had a week straight of presents! Luke was so sad when my parents left today, he was in tears. There isn't anyone who can hold a candle to Grandma in that boy's eyes.

Evie with Grandparents Walton

Luke and Kevin posing with Grandma Barringer

- It came with snow (and lots of it). In my opinion, if it's going to be cold, we may as well have snow. Which left plenty of opportunity for sledding (the big snow plow pile makes a perfect 3-year-old sled run), snowballs, and showing our Floridian grandparents why they should miss the snow too.


- We only had two fires in the kitchen. Yes, that may be 2 more than last year (or any other year, really). But there were only 2. We lost a blue plastic plate in one (it was stuck to the bottom of a kettle. It really just melted, but there were actual flames so I think it counts). The second was full on grease fire in the bottom of the oven -- which filled our kitchen with smoke and gave the fire alarm a work-out. But hey, at least our fire extinguisher works! And Ken only made a few comments about my cooking.


- Our first real Santa experience was a hit. Luke was so excited on Christmas eve he was literally running in circles and spinning in break-dancer manner on the floor. He got really into Santa this year and was excited to leave out the milk and cookies. My super-stylish Mom made it a tradition to have very fancy, coordinating "Santa wrapping paper" which basically meant that all the gifts from Santa had their own wrapping paper. A tradition she tried to get rid of when my sis was 13 (putting me right around 18) but we would have none of it. It continued till we all graduated from high school. And now, the "Santa paper" lives on in my house.


- We ate great food and visited with great people. Thanks to Stacey for more great desserts! (Check out her blog for some recipes). I think I've now had my 2nd or 3rd dinner with at least 20 people in the house in the last 2 weeks. Another gift from my mother -- the entertaining bug. I really do enjoy it and love to have our filled with people and laughter.


- Our first Christmas as a family of 4 -- Evie was a huge fan of the shiny ribbon and silver wrapping paper. Plus, she looked like the little princess she is in her collection of great Christmas dresses.


- My kids learned a little about Jesus. We did a family home evening on Christmas eve with little puppets of the nativity and talked about Christ. Luke especially enjoyed being the shepherd. I hope he can remember at least a little bit what it's all about.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I am, however, a little pleased to be going to bed in our house with only our little family, knowing that I can keep my pajamas on as long as I want tomorrow and I don't have to go anywhere near the mall for a long, long time.