The Last Days of Christmas

We still had two more days of Christmas, but I'll wrap it up in this one post!  But first, I was reflecting this week on the family Christmas traditions I grew up with, and how Mom and Dad managed to keep so much in tact even after they got divorced.  They never split the holiday, instead swapped years so that Jessica and I could have Christmas with one parent, keeping our family traditions (mostly) the same.  

And I also realized that it has been Six Years since I celebrated Christmas with my family as I did growing up, and I will likely never celebrate a Christmas the way I remember.   So I wanted to take time to say Thank You to my family - Mom, Dad, Grandma and Jessica - who have never once complained about my absence.  Instead they have gone with the flow, celebrating with Trey and the kids and me when we could fit them in our schedule.  Even if that meant Christmas in January!  I love you all so much, and am so thankful for everything you do for Trey and me!

Speaking of Christmas traditions, I remembered one funny story from my mid-grade school years.  We always had a quiet Christmas Eve - Christmas music playing, Christmas tree glowing, a gourmet dinner from Dad, Russell Stovers chocolates from Grandma...and that One present we got to open!  This one year, I'd had my eyes on a specific present for a few days, and that was my Christmas Eve pick!  I remember Mom saying "Are you sure you want to open That One?"  Totally not picking up on her hint, I said "YES!" and dug in.  Only to find sheets for my bed (a waterbed, mind you.  It was the '80s!).  Wow.  I so hated myself that night, that I had picked the lamest gift under the tree.  And we didn't get do-overs on Christmas Eve - it was one gift, and then the rest were saved 'till morning!  Which, for me, was always about 5am.  Even when I was a teenager and Jessica was a little girl, I was in her room at the crack of dawn, jumping on her bed, shouting "Santa came! Santa came!"  Good times, good times!

Anyway, Trey and I are now trying to establish our own family traditions.  And this year, we celebrated with my family on Friday night and Saturday.  Isabella and Jessica both arrived in town on Friday, and that evening we were with Grandma and Papa Z.  On Saturday, we celebrated with Grandpa Phil, Oma Annie and GiGi.   

Friday night...

Isabella and Sean playin' Santa, passing out presents.

Jessica and me 

I have no idea exactly what's up here, but this pic cracks me up.

Grandma, opening her "Big Gift" from Papa Z, Jessica and our family.

Isabella, with her new digital camera!

Isabella, with her new laptop!

Sophie - who got nothin'.  

(She ate her new toy from Santa the day before.)

Trey, belting out a tune on Isabella's new guitar from Grammy.

And from Saturday....

GiGi, meeting her Great Grandson!

Grandpa Phil (notice the change in furniture since Thanksgiving!)

Sean and Daddy opening presents.

Ryan, just hangin' out as usual.

Sean, Trey and Isabella learning how to play Mancala from Jessica.

Actually, I lied.  I have one Christmas post to go - Sean's most favorite-ist present ever.  Stay tuned...