Christmas 2014 Memories

Our Christmas days have been filled with lots and lots of fun memories! Let's start with Christmas Eve.  That morning a kind friend offered to have the kids over, which was so helpful because Steven didn't arrive home from work until after 2pm! The kids had a great time with friends and I was able to get quite a few things done, like last minute errands and cleaning. Later that afternoon, a carpet cleaner arrived (rescheduled from the day before), to clean our full house of carpeting after our naughty doggie visitor from a few weeks ago!

Then we ended up having two families over for an impromptu dinner party! It all fell into place at the last minute, and we were grateful to have a little Christmas Eve Latino night, including Mexican appetizers and posole.  It was a short gathering since we needed to head downtown for 9pm mass. 

That afternoon they opened their traditional Christmas Eve gift of new pajamas!

Most of the gifts were wrapped on the 23rd, 

and Katie's stocking was finished :)

And some photos of the Christmas Eve dinner...

Godsisters

iPhone photos...

after Mass

Thomas slept through the entire mass.

Santa was here!

Waiting in line in our room before we all go out together.

The aftermath...

NeNe and PaPa arrive with more goodies!

Katie and I retreat to the bedroom for a little siesta!

And I took a picture of these adorable picture books! These are "Chatbooks" of Instagram photos, one of my favorite finds this year!

After a relaxing morning and afternoon, we loaded up for an evening with Steven's side of the family!

There was an ornament exchange...

Lots of games like Dirty Santa and Silly Santa!

lots of baby lovin'

and the Two Thomases being their silly selves!

a Secret Santa poem and surprises topped off the evening!

and a few more snapshots from my good camera...

Cousins!

I guess this was the Christmas of the iPads for cousins. The boys were much less rowdy than usual. 

Screens everywhere!

Here's what MC made for her cousin. She wants to sell them too ($8.50 each, if anyone is interested)!

Another fun Christmas with family and friends! So grateful for all the gifts the Father has given us, especially the gift of His Son!  Merry Christmas to all! We will keep celebrating, because the season has just started!