Christmas

We were able to go to Georgia to be with my family for the Christmas break and we had a great time! It was so nice to be there all together with my whole family. Besides for my brother's wedding in September (I've decided weddings don't really count as the whole fam being together because it is for such a short time and is so hectic) it's been two years since we were together at the same time.

On Christmas Eve we did the traditional acting out of the Nativity. Bently & Bonnie weren't able to make it in time for that, but here's the rest of the group:

Mary, riding in style on the back of her brother-turned wise man-turned donkey...Jackson was so cute, sitting in a little chair listening to the story. Don't you just want to eat him up?
Mary, Joseph, and baby

It was really strange being on the grown-up end of things this year. Last year we were with Jack's family so everything was new to me, and the year before when we were with the West family I was still way more of a kid than a grown-up... but this year was very different. Amy and Jackson went to bed, and then the rest of us stayed up really late. I helped put the presents out, I made Santa's "snow" footprints, I partially filled our stockings. I tossed the reindeer's carrots to Ryan and Jack and they attempted to catch them in their mouths. They succeeded a few times...and Ryan got a bloody lip. Oops. We played games with Bently & Bonnie. Finally, we all decided we should go to bed. It really was fun to hang out and play together. I think I like having a more grown-up family.

Christmas morning we always line up youngest to oldest and then all go in the family room at once.
I got exactly what I asked Santa for! A hard-boiled egg slicer!
I was really confused when I opened my present from Jack...a computer? No, that was his computer. He said to open it. He had put our wedding pictures together in a book to be printed! He didn't have time to actually have it printed, but we will soon. I have such a nice husband! He loves me :)

Mom & Dad got us girls matching fleece jackets.
Christmas dinner

Jackson had a horsey ride on Grandpa's back as he vacuumed up the snow from Santa's foot prints

We made gingerbread houses that evening... between putting Jackson down for bed and helping Amy assemble hers so she could go to bed, I got a late start on mine and never finished decorating it. It was still fun to just be together!

The rest of the trip to come!