Christmas and Beyond

We had a very nice Christmas. Thank goodness I had this blog because I went back to one of my posts from last year to figure out how we did the gift opening and Santa present thing. It settled an argument that R and I had and he won!!! I didn't remember doing all family presents on Christmas eve and then waking up and doing Santa presents but that is in fact what we did. In my family growing up we always did everything on Christmas morning which is what I wanted to do this year but since we did it R's way last year we kept with our newly formed family tradition and did it the same way this year.

I actually have to say that I enjoy doing it that way better. R prepared a yummy Christmas dinner of goose and roasted chicken with roasted potatoes and veggies along with stuffing and rolls. It was simple but tasted awesome! After dinner we opened presents and then set out cookies and carrot/celery sticks for Santa and the reindeer. We tucked Little man into bed around 8:30pm and when he was asleep got all the Santa gifts perched under the tree along with the stockings filled.

We woke up Christmas morning and opened Santa presents and then prepared breakfast. I usually go all out with an elaborate Christmas brunch but since we were missing my brother and low on funds I just made Ginger.bread waffles and my dad cooked his homemade cinnamon rolls he had made a few weeks earlier and then froze. We ate breakfast and then packed to head to my grandparent's house. We got there around 12:30 and then opened gifts there around 4pm. Santa (aka my Uncle K) came and visited the kids. (He's Santa for my town's Christmas festival so he brought the suit to surprise the kids) We ate dinner at 5pm and then just hung out for the rest of the night.

On Friday my mom, Baby M and I went over to my aunt's house and visited for awhile. She had Christmas presents for the boys and we had one for her grandson. It was a nice visit. When we got back from there R, Little man and I went to Cabel.as so that Little man could see all the animals and the aquarium. It's pretty huge and R had never been there, it gave us something to do so that we didn't get too bored. We had dinner, celebrated my brothers birthday, and then watched some movies.

Saturday we had brunch and then got on the road about 3:30pm to come home. Little man went home with my parents so that he could have some undivided attention from Grandma and Grandpa and so I could get stuff done around the house and get milk pumped and frozen in preparation for my return to work. On Sunday R and I went to the mall and to Ol.d Nav.y so that I could spend the gift cards that we received for Christmas.

Overall, it was a very nice holiday. We definitely celebrated family and it was more simple than normal because of our situation. It was the best holiday that we've had so far and I pray that this teaches us to celebrate the reason for the holiday and to keep it more simple in the past. It's not all about money and elaborate things.