Christmas Morning 2013 (REVISED!)

Editor's note: I realized that I didn't include any pictures from the "big" camera in the initial post, so there are many more pics now...

Spencer was excited to see what Santa brought on Christmas morning (the video eventually comes into focus...).

We checked out the stockings next and then not too long after, Paw-Paw arrived. Besides the awesome Mining Town LEGO set and Tonka truck that Santa brought, Spencer opened another big LEGO set from Paw-Paw, a cool remote control motorcycle from Daddy, books from Mommy (The Wizard of Oz and an awesome animal book), plus games, a wallet (major big hit!) and other assorted from stuff from Mommy and Daddy. He also had the Loves' gifts to open, which included a melody harp that we're all enjoying, plus some really fun games from Taylor, Audrey and Hyelom. Aunt Renee sent Pop the Pig and a big Transformer toy, and Aunt Dianne and Uncle Scott sent a cool construction-type-set. I'm sure there's other stuff I'm forgetting, but he made out pretty well! This little guy is blessed with such generous friends and family.

I loved watching Spencer give his gifts to Daddy - a box of firestarters, an Angry Birds notebook and a leather-bound notebook. It's such a joy when you take him shopping and he sees something like that Angry Birds notebook and just knows Daddy will love it, which of course he did! For the record, Spencer picked out some great pajamas for me!

Bonus pictures: Dave with his cool Bowdoin t-shirt from the Loves, Paw-Paw with the box of hot chili worms Spencer found for him, and the aftermath!

Sidebar: Can I just say how much I love Spencer's pajamas? I've been eyeing them for a couple of years but they were kind of pricey so I had never bought them. This year I decided to just go for it because I don't know how much longer he'll wear stuff like that - and they're roomy enough that he'll probably get another year of wear out of them. Cute little elf!

After our traditional pigs in the blanket breakfast, we spent the rest of the day being lazy, doing LEGOs and playing games. We had a nice, late lunch at home with Paw-Paw and I think we all went to bed early. It was a fun Christmas Day!

Still Catching Up: Christmas Eve

It feels strange to not have some sort of big family plans on Christmas Eve and just sort of do our thing. Guess we're still adjusting. We tried to get Paw-Paw to come, but he wanted to wait until Christmas morning, so we just had a quiet Christmas Eve day.

Spence and I finished some pretty sparkly ornaments and decorated cookies for Santa.

Then we spent the afternoon playing and hanging around the house until time to go to a party down the street hosted by Charlie's parents, Anne and Alex. We stayed there a few hours, then came home to get everything in place for Santa. It was late, so posed photos just weren't happening. This is all I have! Spencer didn't want to write a letter to Santa this year. Not sure what that was all about...so we left cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer and called it a night.

Spencer went to sleep fairly quickly, then Dave and I finished wrapping a couple of presents and I had my usual quiet moments gazing at our pretty tree, wanting Christmas to last a little longer.

More December Catch-Up: Dave's Birthday & Christmas with Geep and Pop

We had fun celebrating Daddy's birthday. Spencer picked out a cool phone cover and made sure he opened it the first thing that morning.

Then the boys went outside and cracked open the geodes Spencer got from Aunt Bobbie. Fun!

Geep and Pop were spending Christmas with the Loves in New York this year, so they came to Austin on the 22nd to celebrate Dave's birthday, have our Christmas, then fly out from Austin on the 23rd. First, we went to Top Golf for lunch and some golfing fun. It's hard to get good pictures there with an iPhone - you really need a big flash b/c of the shade from the overhangs. We took one of Pop, Dave and Spencer, but you can't see their faces...

Then we came back to the house to open Christmas gifts!

 

Spencer got a cool remote control car, books, a new Sorry game and a Lego set from Pop and Geep. He picked out a pretty iron wind chime for Geep and a Red Raiders golf towel for Pop.

Sidebar: For some reason we just didn't take that many pictures this year at the various Christmas festivities. I don't even have one of Dave, Spencer and me. :( 

After presents and playing, we had some yummy cheesecake for Daddy's birthday.

The next morning, Geep and Pop headed out to New York then Spencer and I took the remote control car for a spin. Fun celebration!

December Catch-Up: Columbus Christmas

We went to Aunt Bobbie's the weekend before Christmas for the annual Elliott-Rives-Trahan-Ruston-Stancik-Horridge gathering. Aunt Fay and Renee both couldn't make it this year - Fay was sick and Renee was moving into her new house. There was lots of food, presents, silly pictures, a magic show and a rousing game of Apples to Apples (but for some reason not too many pictures). Good times!

November Backtrack: Oh Christmas Tree

Don't tell anyone, but we broke the "no Christmas tree until after Thanksgiving" rule. With Thanksgiving being so late this year, and with the weather being so wintry, we decided to do it on Thanksgiving Eve. Plus, we hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year, so the tree made things that much more festive.

I have a feeling this will be the last year Spencer can fit comfortably in the tree box...

I'm very sentimental about Christmas ornaments (shocking, I know). I got a kick out of Spencer unwrapping ornaments and either "ooohing and aaahing" or remembering who gave them to him. 

I forgot to take a hero shot of the tree post-decorating... I'll have to do that later...