25 Days of Christmas - Days 23 and 24

Here are pictures from Day 23 and Day 24.

I took over 500 pictures over the last few days, and it is taking me a while to get them downloaded, sorted, and online. Over the next few days, look for Christmas related posts from our holidays. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and safe trips back home!





Day 23 - Playing with her new Baby Doll from Nanny and Poppy.

Checking out the Christmas tree with Aunt Bethany.

Pretzel Thief - Ava kept stealing these pretzels from the table. She ate so many of them and always had white chocolate on her face.


Nana rocked her to sleep after a big afternoon.


In her new red wagon from Nana and Pop.
In her new rocking chair from Aunt Bethany.

The Rogers Family

Christmas Eve

What a long, but wonderful day. {I'll post pictures later!} I cooked dinner this year (with Bethany's help) for the Rogers family. What a wonderful time. We ate dinner at a little after 3 and I almost made myself sick eating so much. We had Poppy Seed Chicken, Homemade Mashed Potatoes, corn Casserole, Oriental Coleslaw, Honey Glazed Carrots, Sweet Peas, and Hawaiian Sweet Rolls. Delicious! For dessert, there was an assortment of candies I had made. After dinner we did some presents and Ava just had a ball opening gifts. Our church held a communion service and it was just beautiful. There were a lot of people there and it was a very enjoyable service. Then we came home, did a few more presents, changed into our pj's from the Christmas Fairy and watched some TV. How much do I love National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story?

So now I am just sitting here relaxing and taking it all in. This is the first Christmas morning that I will wake up somewhere other than my parents house. In a way it makes me sad and nostalgic, but at the same time it is exciting to be starting new traditions with my husband and baby girl. I have just been taking it all in, not getting too stressed. There are a million and one things I wanted to do that didn't get done and that's okay. I have enjoyed my gifts so far, but I have just been so much more concentrated on the making memories. The gifts are good, but that's not what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about one special baby born over 2000 years ago and we should celebrate that every day of the year, not just on December 25. Just think, that if everyone kept the Christmas spirit alive all year long, what a beautiful place this would be. Just some food for though...

So, with that said, "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

25 Days of Christmas - Day 22

Yesterday we changed things around a little bit and spent the day with my grandparents, Nanny and Poppy. In the past we have always done Christmas Eve at Nanny and Poppy's. We have done it every Christmas since I was born, but now that Ava is here and we have our "own little family," we mixed things up. Bradley and I have wanted to be able to have Ava open presents and see what Santa has brought at our own house. There is no way possible for us to have Christmas Eve, drive back home, do Christmas morning at our house, and then head back up to KY for Mammaw's Christmas. So thank God, my family agreed to do Christmas on the weekend before Christmas. I know it was a little rough because we had to get shopping done a few days earlier, but I think it paid off. I for one had one of the best times up there that I have had in a while. It was very relaxed, we got to visit with just Nanny and Poppy and Ava for a few minutes. Everything is usually so rushed, but it just felt right. I may be the only one who thought so, but I just had the best time.

• To Nanny - Thank you for letting me help in the kitchen and take over a little (or a lot), it's just my thing and I enjoyed helping and letting you relax a little. I also enjoyed wrapping gifts with you.




• To Poppy - I'm so glad you enjoyed your back scratcher. Cheapest gift we ever bought that caused such a smile. We love you and I am praying for you.

• To Bo and Mike - Thanks for the wonderful gifts and we love the new Santa hats! Also thanks for all that flashing, I think I may have epilepsy now! ;) Bo, we'll always have Catorce de Mayo...




• To Nick and Leah - We are glad you came and brought the kids. We had a great time and when else would I get to convince a small child we had just seen an elephant and we are part Indian.
  
  
  
• To Mom and Dad - Thanks for helping to corral Ava and try to keep her in line!

So tomorrow is Christmas Eve and we have a busy day tomorrow. I am hosting dinner here and then we have church services at night. I am looking forward to the next few days and hoping I can just stop and take it all in. If you all know me, you know I am constantly rushing, constantly doing, constantly taking pictures and just not really stopping to enjoy the moment. I hope to enjoy all the moments this year and trying to see things through Ava's eyes. I'll try to post pictures from tomorrow, but if I don't...

Have a Merry Christmas!

Look at those curls...

Playing with Olivia
Ava with Grammy
Poppy and Suzie
Uncle Bradley and Trayton
Don't you love the Grinch shirt

Eating her Christmas dinner

Ava gave her baby some of Trayton's milk

The Craziness (see above)

Trayton


This is my favorite of the night. I love Savannah's expression!

Bo and Mike
Nick's Family
My mom and dad

If you look closely, you can see the misteltoe on the top of his hat!
Grammy and Trayton
Matthew

Trayton

4 generations of ladies
Aunt Tiffy

Christmas at Nanny and Poppy's...