Christmas 2012

I am sitting here tonight reflecting on an absolutely wonderful Christmas. Like many of you out there, we have wrapped up a jam packed 2 weeks filled with family, church services, events, presents, and so much fun. I am going to post as many pictures as I can just so we can have this year documented. I mentioned this before, but the kids and I have loved going over this blog and looking at our past Christmases and so I hope one day we will look back at 2012 and laugh at Will's "party hat," marvel at how small Lainey was, and remember how 2012 was a wonderful Christmas for our little family.

We opened our family presents on Christmas Eve. The kids couldn't wait to give gifts to each other. We took them to the Dollar Tree a few days before Christmas and let them shop for their family with their own money. Bennett couldn't wait for Will to open the slinky she bought for him.

The phone started ringing at this point and Bennett is curious when we say the call is for her. Will is too busy pretending to be a pirate to care about the phone call.

Here is Bennett talking to Princess Ariel who called to inform the kids that their big present from Mommy and Daddy was a trip to Disney World!! I don't have great pics of this because I was taking video. Will is more impressed with his slinky than a trip to Disney.

Bennett giving Lainey the special princess towel she bought for her.

Lainey was very appreciative.

'Twas the Night before Christmas and we decorated our cookies for Santa.

 I think the big man will like these.

We went upstairs to throw out the reindeer food on the roof and the kids kept yelling, "SANTA! WE GOT YOUR COOKIES RIGHT HERE! RUDOLPH! WE HAVE TREATS FOR YOU!" I had to run outside to take a picture of them yelling from the upstairs window. I was half amused and half embarrassed. Sorry, neighbors.

 

Reading the Christmas story with Daddy before bedtime

......and then......

CHRISTMAS MORNING!!!! I love love love love love this shot of Bennett racing out to see what Santa brought her.

HE CAME!

Will wasn't as awake as his sister. It took him a minute to wake up and actually realize what was going on.

Okay, he gets it now. Santa came. All is right with the world.

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There is nothing better than a small child on Christmas morning. I am so grateful I get to experience this as their Mom. So grateful.

Will's favorite present. He calls it his party hat. He saw it in a gift shop a month or so ago and asked Santa Claus for it. He thinks it is like a party hat from, "Go Dog Go." Could he be any cuter?

 Bennett opened Lainey's presents for her since she will need another year or two before she can do it herself.

What a wonderful Christmas morning.

We had a fun Christmas breakfast all together and then got dressed to head 2 hours North to Montgomery to be with my side of the family. Our dear friends, the Segars, were also in Montgomery visiting family for Christmas. They live in Missouri and we hadn't seen them since right before we moved from Kansas City so we stopped off first to see them.

 My kids with the 4 Segars boys. Our annual picture of all the kids together.

Benentt with her buddy, Cade. Friends since they were babies.

Once we got to my parents house it was time to open presents from Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Presents Rock!

My Dad opening one of his gifts. I love this shot because you can see the stockings my Mom hangs every year in the back. There is one for everyone in our family and even baby Lainey got hers up this year.

My sister and nieces. Love them all so very much!

The next day we went over to my aunt and uncle's so we could all be together for a little bit. We got a picture of all the 2nd cousins together. Ellison was taking a nap so her brother held a picture of her. She needed to be represented somehow. :-)

For years and years we always took a picture of me, my sister, and our 2 first cousins on Christmas. It was always the 4 Grandadughters- Lisa, Elliot, Erin, and Lauren. Always. Here we are about 20 years ago during one of our annual Christmas Day singing sessions.

As the years went by and as we added babies we took the 4 cousins picture with our children each year. This was obviously our first year without our Elliot. We wanted a picture anyway and so sweet Bradford, without any prompting at all, grabbed her Mommy's wedding picture so she could be in the picture with us. The boys ran off to play and so we had just a girls picture. I thought this was fitting since growing up it was just us 4 girls. I know Elliot was with us in spirit. .

Bennett and Bradford showing off their matching bracelets that they got from their cousin, Piper.

Sweet cousins.

We headed back to Dothan after that and my sister and nieces came with us. I absolutely loved having them here with us! I wish they lived next door. Here are the kids out riding bikes in our neighborhood. It's nice having older cousins to help you across the street.

Emmie and Will on the playground. Notice the party hat.  His absolute favorite gift.

 Sutton and Lainey

Wagon Rides

Emmie and Lainey

The Six cousins. I adore every child in this picture more than words can say. I am so blessed.

 And to end, here is a video of Bennett singing "Hark the Hearld Angels Sing" with her Great Uncle Ed playing the piano. They started kind of high so it was hard for her to sing the higher notes, but I thought she sounded so beautiful. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!