Our Christmas was all about family, relaxation and food this year. We spent a wonderful Christmas in Arizona. As Scott told Mom at one point, we don't experience hunger at any time when we are at their house for the holidays, between Mom's wonderful cooking and the array of cookies, Cavanaugh's chocolates and caramel corn. Christmas Eve dinner was yummy, followed by the annual frosting of the cookies. So many of this year's traditions were extra fun because Gracie was so excited and involved.
Our Christmas excitement really started just a few days before December when we received our first gift of Christmas. Mom spent hours between the time Ellie was born in September and the day in late November when she put them in the mail, making an advent calendar for each of her children and our families. It is EXACTLY like the one that still hangs at her house, and over which we debated about who would hang the last ornament (Santa!) this year and every year in the past. Brian somehow managed to get most of the ornaments hung at 12:01 am each morning, but he let Gracie think she was hanging Santa for the first time on Christmas Eve since our calendar was at home. Thank you Mom for the most thoughtful and amazing gift we could imagine!! And thanks Dad for sacrificing Mom for a few months so she could get it finished in time for us to hang the first ornament on December 1st.
Other highlights were having our new little gift with us for the holidays, our sweet baby Ellie. And it was awesome to have Becka spend her first married Christmas with us and put up with Gracie as her constant shadow. Both the Scott's spoiled the ones they love, and my Scott was amazing as always, spoiling his girls and keeping everyone happy and humored. He is the most amazing husband, and we were able to celebrate our 9-year anniversary while my parents watched our girls. Hawaii here we come (I told you he is amazing)!
I could go on, but Gracie is running around the house without pants and Ellie just woke from her nap. So I'll finish by saying that Christmas of 2008 will be remembered for the little moments that make memories and the love that can only be found in family. Hope your holidays were as happy as ours!!
2 comments:
Traditions are what make Christmas memorable. Making sugar cookies for the neighbors is one of the Christmas traditions I remember from childhood. But I had to teach through the 23rd and it just didn't happen this year.
I love your advent calendar. It's quite similar to one my mom gave Greg and me several years ago, although she didn't make it. Advents are so fun with kids. They really look forward to it each day.
One day we're going to make it up to your place for a visit. Hopefully the outfit we bought for Ellie will still fit by the time you get it!
Your girls are so adorable! I am so glad that you had such a great Christmas!!!
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