Christmas 2016

I don't know which is more magical...being a kid at Christmas time or having kids at Christmas time.  It has truly been one of the best Christmases I think we've ever had (-) the hacking & nausea;)  I think December just comes with sickness or else we'd all be so joyful we couldn't stand each other!   

Never in my wildest dreams did I think Cade would be able to stay home the e n t i r e month of December!  We've actually had time to watch Christmas movies together, go Christmas light lookin, <attempt> to visit Santa & sit in his lap, Christmas shop, wake up to Spider shenanigans, decorate our own house & tree, + bake lots of goodies!  Can we just repeat this month over again??

We have had a little giggle with reality at times, too.  A guy that came over to the house to measure for blinds & at one point he said, "It's a magical time of year with kids this age, isn't it?"  As if it were right on cue, Cam yelled hatefully from up stairs DAAAADDDDDDYYYYY!  Cade looked at him & said, "oh yea, PURE magic."

It really is pure magic though:)

Living two hours from family can create a lot of time on the road.  We've burnt the road up these past few weeks between my job & the family Christmas festivities.  But we made fun out of it- searching for Santa's sleigh & the houses with the best Christmas lights. (Our new neighbors Christmas spirit rocks btw).

I loved work in December.  So fun to work Christmas storybooks into my lessons!

My Uncle takes Chinese Christmas seriously...

Cam is the best age e v e r for Santa.  Absolutely never want him to grow out of this age.  Conley, however could care less.  He'd rather carry a glass candle around beating the walls while saying "bite bite" every breath than open a present.  Cam & I took turns opening his presents for him.

I will say this...

  I can grab everything I need for Christmas with Con in tow & he hasn't got a c l u e what's going on.  But Cam.  Cam sees & hears everything!  I have to be super sneaky about everything...however, I think that's what makes it so fun:)

As I mentioned before, we've all been passing cold symptoms around.  I've coughed my head off & felt nauseous for days.  The boys seem to feel cruddy in the mornings, but thankfully they lose it by lunchtime.  I'm just thankful it hasn't been worse! 

When we got back to Tennessee Christmas Eve night, the boys were totally OUT & I had (unknowingly) taken a dose of nighttime cough syrup which completely killed my momentum (thanks hubby!).  

Since the boys were asleep, I admit I was a little bummed they couldn't put out cookies for Santa or sprinkle the reindeer feed Cam had made at school & was so excited to throw in the yard.  

I was d r a g g i n g, y'all.    

In my crazy Christmas lady mode, I wanted to make sure Santa left footprints & the stockings were stuffed picture perfect but Santa threw everything together (with the elf's help) & crashed with hope we wouldn't have babes waking up in the wee hours of the morning!  You know what?  You guys, those little stinkers would have been happy with a box of rocks.  Sometimes, I forget that everything doesn't have to be just so.  I could tack a few years on my life if I'd realize that occasionally:)     

Wrapped allllllll night Christmas Eve Eve

We totally caught Santa on our security cam footage Christmas morning.  That's as much as our boys will see of him in 2016!  They r e f u s e d to sit in his lap this year.  We're talking glued to our necks.  I couldn't even settle for a crying Santa pic:/  

This is probably the only Christmas on record that we will be able to say we got to sleep in!  The boys didn't wake up until about 8:30am.  With all that good sleep in, the boys were ready to take on Christmas Day!  They ripped open their presents & played their hearts out until it was time to hit the road back to NC.  Cam got everything he asked for on his list...the remote control helicopter (+ the boat & shark he requested for Conley!;)

My heart is always sad when December 25th rolls around.  So many people are already moving on to other holidays & future agendas.  Shoot.  I ran in to get wrapping paper at Target December 23rd & they had b a t h i n g s u i t s hanging in the front of the store.  Come on people!  The first day of winter was the 21st!  I just want to linger in the Christmas spirit for awhile.  Tree, garland, Holly channel & all!  And that's just what I plan to do this week:)  How about you?  I keep a bit of Christmas cheer in my heart all year long!

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas!

XO