Christmas

Our Christmas this year was SO much fun.  Watching Joey see all the lights and shiny things was so wonderful.  It made me super excited for when he's old enough to remember that Christmas is coming.

We spent Christmas Eve with Neal's family.  I volunteered to be in charge of planning the festivities this year.  We did a couple fun things that evening:

- Decorated sugar cookies

- Ate yummy soups for dinner

- Went to an assisted living facility and sang carols for the residents.  Gave them cookies after

- Went back home and sang songs as a family

- Helped the kids act out the nativity

- Ate desserts and had hot chocolate

Going to the assisted living facility was so fulfilling.  It felt so good to see the smiles, have them sing along with us, and hear how happy they sounded when they said thank you.  The residents just adored the kids.  It was such a good way to remember Christ through doing service.

Joey in his cute Santa pants

Joey helping mom make pigs ears for the nativity 

Joey and his cousin, Daniel, cruising around

Then Santa came to visit.  Here's what he brought Joey:

Christmas morning was enjoyable...probably more so for me and Neal than for Joey.  Here's literally the only picture I got all day:

Joey got pacifiers in his stocking, and he was pretty excited about it.

I got Neal a huge surprise: his own Peyton Manning jersey.  He was pretty excited about it when he opened it.  He had NO idea it was coming!

Christmas Day we got to see both families.  We went to Neal's brother's house Christmas morning for breakfast and presents.  Then we headed down to my grandma's house for dinner and presents.  We ended the day by going to my parents' house. 

We were so blessed this year.  We got to see so many family members, friends, and we were blessed with so many gifts.