the Festivities

We had a great Holiday filled with LOTS of family and gatherings and food and friends and fun. I have to say it had me a little tired and Ryan may say I was even a bit grouchy by the end. We really did enjoy it but will gladly wait til next year to do it all again.

Here we have a Christmas present at the first family Christmas gathering of the season.
Christmas Eve is spent with my family and our tradition of eating pizza and wings and the grand kids getting pajamas. My mom started the pajama tradition when we were kids and I am glad our girls are now part of it. One year my mom went to make a traditional Christmas sit down dinner on Christmas Eve and well let's just say it didn't fly and we were back to pizza and wings. Our family loves it. Sometimes we buy everything and sometimes it is home made but it is our tradition and it is a fun evening without much chaos trying to get it all ready. I wish I had taken pictures that night but my camera was charging.

Christmas morning Ryan and I woke up early to exchange our gifts and let Haylie get some more sleep before heading out for the day.

When Haylie woke up she seemed to really like her presents.
She walked around talking on her phone while holding a stuffed animal and pushing the stroller with her baby in it. She is at a stage where she likes to hold it all at once and not put any of it down.Since the end of the summer I had been picking up clothes for the girls here and there when I found great deals so I could give it to them for Christmas, trying to spread out the expense. Haylie opened hers, ripping the wrapping with no reservation and pulled all her clothes out of the box.
Ryan had saved a ham bone for Sam and gave it to him on Christmas. Sam quickly horded the ham in is kennel like saying "it's mine, all mine and you can't have any." We then headed to my parents house for breakfast and to open gifts (still in our pajamas of course).

Briauna also got a cell phone. Both girls were content for a picture as long as they had their phones, We just had to use John to keep them in one place.

Grandma and Grandpa were very good to the girls. Here is Haylie with her loot. A picnic table and a Leap Frog Phonics magnet thing. She loves it. It sings and she will just stand at the fridge and play with it, dancing whenever the music comes on and mimicing the sounds and letters.

She sat at the table almost the entire time we were there. If she did move she came right back to that spot. I am glad she likes it.

Clapping to the music

My parents have had this soft Christmas tree forever,

I think there is even a picture of my 20yr old nephew with it on his head at about age 4. Haylie thought it was a great hat and kept putting it on every time I took it off.

The picnic table is an easy store table so it breaks down easily for storage transportation.
Haylie started to cry when Ryan broke it down, then decided it was still ok to play on even flat on the floor.

Ashtyn just hung out on mommy's or cousin Blake's laps during all the festivities.

The oldest and youngest grandchildren in the same picture. Blake 20 and Ashtyn 2 months. They are exactly (almost to the hour) 19 years and 11 months apart.

Grandma and Grandpa gave Ashtyn some sleepers and money for more things she may need as she grows.

My parents were also very thoughtful and gave us some restaurant gift cards and money. My mom is usually very set on actually picking out specific gifts for everyone, but I am glad she took it easy this year. She has so much going on, our best gift from her is that she was with us and is being treated so she can be healthy.

It was a different Christmas this year at my parents house, but good. I hope next year everyone will have had a healthy year and the economy will have been better to all of us.

Midday we headed out to Ryan's parent's house for gift exchange and Christmas dinner.

After getting Haylie ready for the day, she sat contently in her chair in Grandma's kitchen.

Then she threw it all on the ground and decided she needed to be buckled. She is fascinated with buckling anything she can. She is very good at it. smart kid. Only she is a tad impatient when she can't unbuckle it, I guess we will have to work on patience.

Just me getting to love on my Ashtyn. I am usually behind the camera so it is nice when Ryan picks it up and gets a picture of me with the girls.

Ryan's sister Shauna got hit on her way over to the their parent's house, and we were glad she was okay, but since there was extra time Grandma took Haylie and Makenzie in her room to watch a movie while they waited.

Once everyone arrived safe and sound. We had a very yummy Christmas dinner and then exchanged gifts. Unfortunately for Haylie (and anyone who had to be round her) We had to wake her up from her nap to open gifts. But considering all the craziness of the day I was a little more lenient on her whininess (pet peeve).

This was the display down stairs.

Haylie did best when being spoiled by grandpa (sounds like "pompa" coming from her)

Or when distracted by gifts. Grandma made sure she would like them by testing them out on her while baby sitting. I guess that is the blessing of having a toddler too young to remember already playing with her gifts.
On her potty, with reindeer dog, phonics radio and Ashtyn's blanket. She really likes to hoard things.
But she is learning to share. Her cousin Taylor is just 3 1/2mo. younger than her. Haylie is lucky to have cousins on both sides so close in age.
And of course our babies with their great grandparents
This is the way we all finished out the day. Just relaxing on the couch. Really Ashtyn relaxed most of the day, but she is really only supposed to be a few weeks old.
Our family was very generous with our gifts this year. We are very grateful. We were most grateful to all be together and be able to enjoy the day, even if some were only with us for a short while.

I think we are lucky that we get to have 2 completely different holiday celebrations with our families. They are both good but very different.

And now I am officially done with our Christmas post... I think. :o)