The Griswold Family Christmas...Edition II

We're back with another big Christmas recap....

The Hubs and I had SO much fun on Newbie's first Christmas morning.  Newbie woke up around 4 in the morning and had a rough time going back down, so we had brought him into our bed to snuggle for a few hours before we all headed downstairs.  I loved getting to snuggle with our little bug early early Christmas morning.  Newbie crashed again almost right after he came to our room, but Mama was too excited for his first Christmas to let anyone sleep past 7.  So we were up and at 'em bright and early!

It was a lot of fun to watch him discover the gifts Santa brought.  I carried him down the stairs while Daddy-O video taped, and as soon as he saw the loot he started wiggling out of my arms anxious to check it all out.  Such fun!

He was a big fan of the tiny piano...we had to work at getting him to play with anything else!

After he explored Santa's presents, we loaded ourselves up into the car- pjs, Opie, and all- and headed out to G-Mama and Grandad's house for Christmas morning cinnamon rolls.  Aunt Corndog and the Broski were there, and we had a blast spending time together!  We exchanged some homemade gifts, and some non-homemade gifts, played Five Crowns, and ate a DELICIOUS ham and potato lunch.  Newbie got in lots of snuggle and play time, and we had a ball. We really missed spending our Christmas with Mutte, GD, and Uncle R, but we put in a phone call and still got to hear their voices on Christmas Day...not the same, but better than nothing!  We stashed away three Christmas hugs to pass around the next time we see them. =)

We took a quick snoozer on the couch while Newbie played with G-Mama and G-Daddy, then we headed out for the country to catch Christmas dinner with some of the Hubs' family.  There were uncles and aunts and cousins and a puppy to boot!  We had a lot of fun catching up and chowing down on the delightful spread of lasagna and crab legs.  The Broski is a BIG fan of Grandma's Christmas crab legs!

Newbie was absolutely BEAT after such a long day, but he got in some snuggle time with his Great-Grandma and loved it!

Post- crab legs we had to hitch 'em up and head out before the Christmas Day Marathon Meltdown occurred.  We went over to Newbie's Grandma and Grandpa's house next door to spend the night and get some R&R before taking on Christmas Day Round 2 the following morning.

Christmas Day Round 2 with the Hubs' Mom and Pops was awesome.  My MIL made the best breakfast spread this side of the Mississippi, and we had a leisurely morning opening perfectly wrapped presents and munching on the most delectable breakfast treats.  Newbie was more interested in the dog's new squeaker toys than the fun toys his Grandma and Grandpa got him...he kept going back to the pink tennis ball and the rope bone after opening his gifts.  I guess we know what to get him for his birthday! =)





After opening a slew of presents, we had to load up the car and head back home.  G-Mama and G-Daddy had kept Opie over night, so we made a drive-by to pick him up, then hit the open road.  When we got home, the Hubs unloaded the car and I went nuts-O putting all of Newbie's toys away, unpacking our bags, AND taking down all of our Christmas decorations.  By the time our heads hit the pillow that night, we were whooped.

If I told you how generous our family was this year and listed all our fun Christmas presents, I'd be posting here for days, but I will tell you that the homemade gifts were a hit! Here's the run-down:  My parents gave us three fully cooked AMAZING dinners-quesadillas, Texas Red Chili, and BRISKET! Mom knitted a flower hair clip with ONE HAND because she was still in her cast at the time.  WOW!  Corndog made me a homemade reversible apron that is AWESOME.  The Hubs used his fancy saw to make my 'rents an incredible "Texas" sign and a pug for the sibs.  I made a ruffled camera strap cover for my sister and a Snapfish book full of pics of Newbie for my parents.  A good time was had by all!

AND I have got to tell you that my MIL and FIL gave me an INCREDIBLE gift....a BRAND NEW FANCY SCHMANCY Nikon D3000 camera!  After I opened it and realized what it was, much screaming and crying and squealing ensued, and I think I remember sleeping with the camera that night.  Now it is sitting on my couch staring me down with intimidation because it knows I don't know how to use it.  But I am vigorously researching and reading and asking questions, and I'm hoping that one of these days I'll learn how to make the most of the aperture and shutter speed and depth of field and all the other words that never meant anything to me before that mean everything to me now.  ...stay tuned. 

A HUGE Thank you thank you thank you to all of our family in and out of town for making this such a special Christmas!  We were so blessed to have gotten to share Newbie's first Christmas with so many of you!  And to all our family in Texas, who we dearly missed getting to see this year, we're sending lots of love and hugs to you all!!!

We had such a fun Christmas, and the Hubs and I were so grateful for the blessing we had in getting to spend it with our sweet little boy.  2010 has been such a crazy busy year, full of newness and excitement and the richest of blessings.  We can't wait to see what God has in store for our little family in 2011!

We're ringing in the New Year tonight with a dinner and a movie date.  We're going to be the cRaZy Harry Potter fans of True Grit tonight.... instead of capes and lightening scars, we're dressing up in our Nashville finest with our cowboy boots and jeans and going to see True Grit, then heading over to the local honky tonk to people watch and ring in the New Year.  Oh yes, THAT'S happening.  It's going to be a southern dream, and we can't wait.  Dorks? Most definitely.  But it should be a good time. =)

Tomorrow we're spending the day at G-Mama and G-Daddy's house with the sibs and the BugMan.  Lots of junk food and video games are on the menu, and I can't wait to hang out with BugMan- it's been WAY too long since we've spent time with him.  Remember our BugMan? You can click here to learn a little bit more about him. =)

Hope you all have a fun and safe New Year's Celebration!   ...don't forget your cowboy boots. =)

The Griswold Family Christmas...Edition I

Welcome to the first installment of The Griswold Family Christmas recap! 

In celebration of our first installment, I threw half a bag of chocolate chips into my banana bread dough this morning.  Whoopee!

Our Christmas started on our three year anniversary with a fun night out on the town with Newbie.  See "Candy Canes and Silver Lanes Aglow" for more information because homie ain't gonna recap that again.

The day after our anniversary, we headed out to the country to see Newbie's Great Grandma and Grandpa P.  We had some delicious chili for lunch and got to spend some time opening presents and watching Newbie play with his cousin B.  B had a lot of fun showing Newbie how to use his new toys- it was really fun to watch them play together.  How cute is that blonde hair?!?

 Great Grandma and Grandpa P hit the jackpot for Newbie with a fun set of cars and a Santa rubber ducky...they knew what that little boy would like!

The following day, lovingly referred to as Christmas Adam by the Hubs, we had Newbie's Fake Uncle C over for a hearty lunch of tacos and tacos.  What can I say?  I pull out all the stops when company's a' comin'.  Truth be told, Fake Uncle C got the shaft on the home cookin' cuz I had just baked my buns off for a week and had nothing left to give.  But bless his heart, he was a good sport and took the Old El Paso Taco Dinner Kit like a man.  

Newbie had a ball showing off for his fake uncle and loved that he was about three stories tall.  Fake Uncle C even helped Newbie touch the ceiling!  Daddy-O grew up with Fake Uncle C, so it was fun to have the three boys together for the afternoon.

After Uncle C left, Newbie got a special present in the mail from his Great Grandmother, Gramere.  He LOVED the pretty wrapping paper and had a blast opening the gift with Daddy-O.  

Next on the list of family fun was a full fledged assault on Old Navy that afternoon, the likes of which we had never seen before.  I will never go Christmas shopping on Christmas Adam again.  I was a very grumpy mama by the time it was all said and done. The end.

On Christmas Eve, the Hubs and I unwrapped what was left of our Christmas gifts to each other.  We spent the week opening one gift a day because when you're grown-ups, you get to do what you want, and who doesn't love opening Christmas presents early? 

BA ha ha!  That pic of the Hubs cracks me up. Don't ever let anyone tell you that Newbie is the only ham in our family.

Moving on...

 The rest of the morning, we were busy as bees finishing up some of our homemade gifts.  On my parents' side we had decided to do homemade gifts this year, and the Hubs and I in typical procrastinating fashion decided it would be a great idea to wait until the day before Christmas to finish up our presents.  We are creative geniuses.  It was tight, but we got everything done!  

After Newbie's nap that afternoon, we hit up Starbucks for a White Peppermint Mocha Frappacino then went over to deliver it to Aunt Corndog during her last couple hours of work.  Nobody likes working on Christmas Eve, but a little Starbucks and a cute nephew never hurts.

 After our quick visit, it was time to head out to the Christmas Eve service at church.  We donned matching outfits for the occasion. =)

 

I am so far beyond editing these pictures.  Are your eyes bleeding yet?  I apologize to your retinas.  

The church service was fantastic, but Newbie and I spent a good chunk of the service watching the sermon alone from the cry room...which was OK because I grabbed a handful of those white chocolate covered pretzels shaped like Christmas trees from the coffee/cookie table on our way to the cry area and ALL GOOD.  Newbie is so great about singing and listening in church right up until the sermon. That's usually when he starts freaking out and we take a one-way ticket to the cry room.  It was still a wonderful service, spiritually refreshing, and really helped our hearts focus on Christ this Christmas.  We love love loved it!

That night we came home and ate dinner, then the Hubs read from Scripture while Newbie and I acted out the story of Jesus' birth with his Nativity.  

 It was a really special first Christmas Eve together as a little family, and we treasured every moment.  When it was time to tuck Newbie into bed, we kissed him on the cheek and then Santa stuffed his fat hiney down the chimney and spent an hour opening toy packaging that would have served better as an alternative to Alcatraz.  That stuff was INTENSE.  We finally got everything open and ready to rock and roll the next morning.  Then the Hubs and I snuggled up in bed and watched Nativity Story. 

When the movie was over, the Hubs slept while Aunt Corndog and I texted each other back and forth talking about how excited we were for the next day.  Turns out just because you and your little sister grew up and got married doesn't mean you have to stop getting butterflies and giggling together about Santa coming...because THAT happened. =)

More to come on our Christmas in the second installment of The Griswold Family Christmas.  For now, I'm off to enjoy my little boy and a calorie-ridden slice of chocolate chip banana bread.  

Happy Wednesday!