All About Christmas!!

Christmas was simply wonderful this year. It was exactly how I pictured it being, with just our little family, no expectations, so hosting and just spending time together. I can't help but say it was pretty perfect. Even being EXTREMELY pregnant! 

Christmas Eve we woke up and pretty much got started on Christmas Eve dinner. We always had a big festive dinner on Christmas eve and I hope to continue that tradition. So far since we have stayed home we have put a dinner together. It of course never tastes as good as a mom's dinner, but I think that just comes with nostalgic and not necessarily the food. 

Owen digging into my birthday cake from the night before. After the babysitter the night before, we forgot to wrap it up and put it in the fridge, but he didn't mind. 

Dan and I got to work on dinner prep. We managed to only ruin one jello/cream cheese salad. We had enough to re-make it and the other one turned out great! This one, We just got to eager and didn't let the crust cool enough and let the jello set long enough before pouring it in. Hahaha 

June crushing the pretzels for the crust 

We had Taylor over since he was geo-steering (A geology thing)  over Christmas he couldn't go home, so he partied with us. Taylor is family and we have him for special dinners all the time. We had two turkeys, and Dan and I kind of made it into a contest. I cooked mine in the stove and Dan decided to grill his. In the end, turns out ovens really are better for turkeys, but his was still good! 

It was so warm the week of Christmas that we took full advantage of having the kids outside playing. They were making their own Christmas Dinner. 

Our little dinner spread 

It was pretty funny, because Dan leaned over to Taylor and told him that Lesli will want a picture of everyone... I turned around and laughed and told heck yes I would! I'm not embarrassed of my obsession with pictures. 

We pretty much spent all day in the kitchen and had dinner around 4:30pm. We shoved it in our faces and finished before 5pm. Haha thats usually how it goes though. Everything turned out well enough! Seriously thanks to Dan though, it's no secret I'm not a cook and have no desire to be a super cook, but Dan has a knack for it and seems to pull it off! 

The after math! So many dishes!! Everyone helped clear the table and then I let the boys go watch a football game that was on and the kids ran off to play. It's weird but I wanted it that way! I turned the Christmas music up a bit, listened to Dan and Taylor chatting away and the kids playing outside. It made my heart very full! Just for the record Dan was very hesitant to leave me doing all those dishes being so pregnant, but I Completely insisted!! It was all me, I promise!! 

Until I realized just how many dishes were shoved in that sink! 

Once I finished up the kitchen, the kids came inside and I spent some time with them. Just being with them. Oh man I am so lucky!! My heart could just burst with love for them!! 

Later that night, Taylor headed home and we got started on our Christmas Eve ritual. We sprinkled our reindeer food all over the ground! 

We then came in and opened up Christmas pajamas 

2015 Christmas Pajamas 

We then all gathered on the couch, watched the nativity and Dan read from Luke 2. It was then to get the kids to bed. They were wired! June was having a hard time calming down and Owen was bouncing off the walls right behind her. It took a couple hours until they both finally fell into a hard enough sleep that we felt comfortable setting up Santa. 

We were still paranoid about it, so we moved into the garage to build Owens car. 

We then gave some time to make sure they were completely asleep. We were so scared they were going to walk out! Eventually we just locked their bedroom door and got to work. June can unlock the door, but it takes her a minute so we knew it would give us a heads up before one of them came out! 

Dan and I got the kids all set up! SO MUCH FUN!! It's so so so much fun being a parent at Christmas! Just the excitement of setting it all up and just knowing how much they love it. We got June an American Girl doll this year and after getting it all set up I couldn't help feel a huge rush of nostalgia. I remember perfectly getting my American Girl doll for Christmas and everything I got that Christmas. When I set up June's Christmas it just felt so much like that Christmas so long ago. It's so magical. All of it. 

Owen got a monster ride truck! He loves to ride those things at friends house so we thought it best to get him his own! It really was so much fun setting up. Dan always chuckles at how every year I tell him I'm going to limit myself on the kids and I always fail... He loves it too!! 

Once the kids got set up, Dan and I took our turn setting up our stockings. Our gift from Santa was something we both got together, so we didn't have to worry about that, but stockings were a surprise. We promised each other to not peek! 

Santa ate his cookies and drank his milk. How devastating that its a cookie and not pinwheel. But puffed rice is IMPOSSIBLE to find here in Dallas. (Don't be disappointed in me

 Mendenhall Readers!) 

P.S. June gave Dan and I this plate as a gift from her school! LOVED IT!! 

We finally called it a night a little after midnight. The kids actually slept really well and didn't wake up until 7:30. Owen was the first out of bed and came to our room. We watched cartoons for a bit until June came into our room. It was go time! 

The kids ran out and the rest of the morning was a rush of excitement and squeals of all the thing Santa had left for us. 

Owen LOVES his car and spent the majority of the morning either sitting in it, or putting his toys in the back. 

And of course the squeals from little June bug over her doll could not have been any cuter! 

Have I ever mentioned how much of a candyholic Owen is! Just like his mom! Haha He took everything out just looking for candy. He ate so much that morning. 

June then came over and helped us unwrap our stockings! I love how excited Dan is over socks. I promise I wasn't too lame and put other fun things in there other than work socks. 

It was then time to sort out presents 

Spoiled little girl 

And a spoiled little boy 

The after math 

We played dress up and dolls all morning long. 

Owen got one of those tumble trains from June. It just rolls all over the place and is kind of out of control! It was so funny the first time we put it together and turned it on. It was awesome. 

We spent most of the day just playing and playing some more with all our fun things. 

Everyone got legos for Christmas, so we ended up having a big lego party at the table. 

Owen wanted a bath, but June didn't, so he got the whole tub to himself. He was just so cute in there all by himself 

Daddy makes this special seat for the kids and they can hang their little feet. They love it. Hahaha from the look on Dan's face in this picture says other wise. 

Owen got big boy underwear in his stocking, in hopes that potty training will be happening sooner rather than later. He was so excited about them that he HAD to have them on. He first wore them under his pants, over his diaper through the day and then that night he had to have them over his pjs. It was pretty funny how excited he was about them. 

Dan and I got a bit bigger of a tv and we sold our little 26" TV that was our first big purchase together. We splurged and spent some of our wedding money to purchase this TV when we first got married. It was such a big deal at the time because we were so poor, but looking back we have no regrets. Hahaha it's now just so small! We sold it though and got some cash back for a night out. 

June watching her iPad with Kit. 

We got the kids a few board games for Christmas to help keep us entertained. Cooties was one of those games. I played this game a million times as a little girl, and we also play it just in paper form with June and she loves it. So we knew she would love this game. Owen just kept building his cootie while we played. 

And then just like that Christmas Day was over. It always goes so incredibly fast. I love this holiday! I love what it represents how much we get to focus on our Savior. How June is now at that age where she is asking so many questions about Jesus' birth and telling us the story through her little play nativity. It's so incredibly magical watching the wonder and excitement through my children. It was fantastic and I am so grateful that we blessed with so much. 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas!!