Christmas 2013

This year I had Christmas week off.

We started the week off with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate MC's birthday.

Jason and Baby C, MC opening gifts, delicious cheesecake

On Christmas Eve I baked cookies and wrapped gifts while Jason worked on his truck. That evening we went to Jason's aunt's house for Christmas Eve dinner with family. 

Christmas morning Jason and I opened our gifts to each other before eating breakfast at my parent's house. After breakfast we got ready and went to Jason's parent's house for Christmas dinner.  We had a delicious dinner, played bingo, opened gifts, and exchanged white elephant gifts.

the tree

It's a tradition to take photos in front of the fireplace every year.

Jason's mom and dad, Sparky, and Bella

Us with our pups!

We had Christmas dinner with my family the day after Christmas. 

the tree

Stockings on the mantle

Baby C's first Christmas; He slept through opening the gifts

Hanging out with baby C

A little smile

Family photo- only missing Scarlett!

We had a chill weekend and I got a lot done around the house. Now we have a clean house and all of the Christmas decorations are put away until next year.  

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

Christmas Decor

It's hard to believe Christmas has already come and gone. 

I put all of the Christmas decorations away this weekend, but I took a few pictures while it was still up.

This was Scarlett's first Christmas, so we weren't sure how she would do with the tree or the gifts. Instead of getting a real tree, my parents gave us their old tree and an old tree that was my grandparents. Some of the lights didn't work, but if Scarlett decided to use the tree as a chew toy it wouldn't matter! She ended up leaving both the trees and the gifts alone which was great!

This was the first year we had two trees. We put one downstairs in our den and one upstairs in the man cave. I loved having a tree in both of the places we hang out.

Tree in the den, ornaments in a vase, tree in the man cave, tree and mantle

Gifts under the tree

Our First Christmas

Christmas came and went so quickly this year! We have been so busy with Christmas parties, dinners with friends, and work that the time flew by.

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. Jason and I certainly did. We celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple! Very exciting. 

I loved having our own tree. We decided to get a real one. I really don't want to take it down. I think it's pretty, and it was so much work. But I guess it will have to come down this weekend. 

We were able to spend a lot of time with our families over the long Christmas weekend. We had Christmas Eve dinner with my parents and brother and his girlfriend. Then we were able to go to the Christmas Eve service at Shadowbrook together before heading to Jason's aunt's house for Christmas with his extended family.

On Christmas day we woke up and had breakfast and opened presents with my family. Then we headed to Jason's parent's house for Christmas dinner, more presents, bingo, and white elephant! 

Here are some pictures, although I didn't take nearly enough!

 Our stockings; Even Daisy got one!

 Gifts under our tree!

 Daisy in her Christmas sweater

 Daisy got a new ball for Christmas

 Our Tree

One of our gifts: a reindeer for each of us!

I am so thankful for Christmas to celebrate the greatest gift of all- the birth of our Savior- and to spend precious time with family.

"But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children." Galations 4:4-5