Merry Christmas ... even later!

So I am really behind in posting to the blog ... finally getting the Christmas stuff up 3 weeks after Christmas ... but better late than never :-) We had a pretty low-key Christmas this year, staying close to home.

Since we tend to be busy on Christmas Eve getting ready for Christmas Day, we usually order food unless we are celebrating Christmas with either side of the extended family. This year we ordered pizza from Donatos - yum!! After dinner, we continued a tradition that my parents started when I was a kid - looking at Christmas lights. We invited my parents and my sister (who was staying with my parents for the night) to come along and look at Christmas lights with us. So we all piled into the van to look at Christmas lights. With Caleb being so young, we didn't want to get out to look at any lights, so we just drove around several local neighborhoods. We saw several nice displays and had a great time. Chloe absolutely loved looking at the lights!! We have gone out a couple of other times this year because she just has so much fun (and so do we!) After a while looking at lights, it was time to come home and get Chloe to bed and finish getting ready for Christmas the next day. Chloe was very excited about Santa visiting so she hurried off to bed quickly that night!

On Christmas morning, I was up feeding Caleb when Chloe came out to the family room. She snuggled up on the couch with Caleb and I for a couple minutes and then asked to watch some tv. Hoping to get back to bed for a little more rest, I turned on a Mickey Mouse episode from the DVR (what a wonderful invention!!) and then went back to bed. On the way back to bed, I turned on the lights on the tree. A few minutes later, we heard the sounds of Chloe's new vanity and then the pitter patter of her feet as she ran into our room.

Chloe makes herself even more beautiful with her new vanity. It lights up and talks and the hairdryer sounds like a real one! On the back, there is a mirror and hooks for dress up clothes. It is so cute!! You can see Caleb's reflection in the mirror on this one.
Caleb snoozed through the early part of opening gifts at home. But he didn't sleep for long. I guess he was excited about Christmas too!! How many 3-year olds ask for a clock for Christmas?? This one did and she loves her Cinderella clock. Chloe was our official "present opener" this Christmas. She helped open most of the gifts this year and did a fabulous job! Looking a bit worn out after her first "big job" of the day.
Joe holding Caleb at breakfast. After we opened presents (first thing on the mind of a 3-year old!), we had a yummy breakfast of cinnamon rolls and read the Christmas story. We bought the Little People Nativity set for the kids this year and Chloe acted out the story with the characters as Joe read it. It is neat to see her starting to grasp the true meaning of Christmas.

We lounged around the house, watched Chloe's new Cars movie, and went over to my parents house after Chloe's nap for part 2 of Christmas celebrations. Since my sister was working on Christmas Day, we celebrated Christmas later in the day with my family. We had a delicious ham dinner with all the yummy sides and finished off with a new dessert I made, a delicious Triple Berry Trifle. It was a nice, light dessert, the perfect ending to a large meal.

Nana and Caleb having a little chat.
My Dad and Sister sorting presents at my parents house.
Caleb and I relaxing.
Joe burping Caleb - he's a tough one to burp at times (Caleb, that is!)
Sadie dressed in her new Christmas bandanna (courtesy of Nana) enjoying a rawhide chew.

Chloe playing with a "Santa in the box" while waiting for dinner at Nana and Pops house.

Due to work schedules, we waited to celebrate Christmas with Joe's side of family until Saturday. After Chloe's nap, we headed up to their house and celebrated spending time with family over a yummy turkey dinner. As at my parents, the food was delicious and we all ate until our bellies were full!

Joe's grandma, Chloe and Caleb's Memaw was able to join us for the celebration.

Joe's parents got Chloe a couple movies so she sat with Grandpa and watched one of them. (Doesn't she look pretty in the new dress up clothes from Uncle Chris?)

Caleb resting on Grandma's lap.

We had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas as our own small family, as well as with our larger family. Thank you for the delicious meals and the wonderful presents. We are so happy to have such a wonderful family!