I Miss You Christmas!

I remember the Friday night before Christmas break, it was the last day of school and I went to bed at 7pm and slept until 8am the next morning.  I was exhausted.  It seems as soon as we came back from our Disney trip it was a rush to prepare Christmas, get back to work, and tie up deadlines.  There were pictures, cards, decorating, gift shopping, cooking... the whole process went from fun to exhaustion pretty quickly.   
This year, I had the Christmas decorations packed away on December 26 before lunch.  Carlee wasn't too happy about the tree coming down so soon.  

Packing away the Christmas Fun in about 10 boxes.

 


When the dust settles, I really do miss Christmas.  I sound like a grown up here, but I miss the time we stop and appreciate the true meaning of Christmas.  A Christmas to count our blessings, enjoy our children, visit with family, and spend time with each other.  

I really miss it.

Santa is Coming!  Santa is Coming!
I was so excited I could barely sleep.

Connor woke up with He CAME!  Santa CAME!

New Hot Rod 

Carlee slept in about 90 minutes longer than her brother.
They had separate Christmas.
You can tell because my hair is washed and we are all dressed in her pictures. #snoozehead

Before we left to visit family we read the story about the birth of Jesus, out of a brand new book Carlee's Puggles teacher gave to her.  

We are so blessed in Christ.

Family

Precious
Who loves cousin O?

Check out the big bag!  What is it!?!  What is it!?!

Oh boy, did Carlee really get into the gift unwrapping!!

Cousins

A SnowBoogie!!!!
Now we need the SNOW!

Some children are a bit more subdued when they open gifts,
not Connor.
 excitement. every. time.

My Secret Santa:  Operation Conservative Uncle

Yep, that is an Obama "Commemorative" Collectable Plate!
Bahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
I am so freaking hilarious.

The next gift was an 1985 picture of Uncle G. at a NASCAR race.
It was awesome featuring a mullet, chicken bone, and trucker hat.

The Sechrist brought the A Game in the gift giving this year!
We laughed for days at his picture.

Every girl needs a good lipgloss in her color....
(check out that 10.00 Musical Frozen shirt I splurged on!
The darn thing broke after 30 min. of pushing the button over and over and over again.
Lesson learned the hard way.)

Cousin Boy O ended the Christmas festivities with us all breaking Christmas Crackers!

An awesome dad who skips a nap to play a new NFL board game with the son who woke him at 5am.
(so far we have dodged the video game bullet)

These boots were made for walking....baby.

I was even a good girl this holiday season.  A few gifts include: a glass pyrex set from Mrs. E (so I will stop microwaving in plastic), a monogramed cashmere scarf (I'm wearing) from my TA- Ms. D., Dove from my Secret Family Santa, and a popcorn machine (I've already used it 100 times).  
#awesome

Now we are totally set up for a tea party in the New Year.
 Join us, I just hope you like the color pink.  :)