Merry Christmas!

This weekend seemed like a totally different Christmas to me. Jeff was off work on Friday - so we got to hang out and enjoy him being here all day! Love the days he gets off work!

Saturday - Christmas - was quite calm. I mean calm, as in we had nothing going on. Usually we are traveling here or there, having people all around, making the rounds to the different houses as we try to stop and enjoy a few minutes with everyone. But not this Christmas. We had decided we were staying home.

Our morning was the girls getting up and us reading the Christmas Story, then Haley delivered everyone's presents. We had decided to go light on the presents this year - to simply not overload the kids with "stuff". It was hard on both Jeff and I to not just buy and buy all the stuff we wanted to surprise the girls with.

Merry Christmas!!

Caitlin was helping Daddy make our fire!

Haley reading Caitlin's new books to her.

Daddy's little snuggle bug!

Haley picked out a candle for me.

My oldest brother, who lives in town, had us for Christmas dinner. Lamb. My first reaction to that was ... yuck, who eats lamb? But it was actually ok. It didn't taste too much off of beef.

Sunday came - and we just relaxed around the house again.

And then came Monday. :) This is the Christmas that I seemed most normal. We had all the cousins over - and then some. It was crazy and chaotic! But I LOVED it! So there was 9 kids and 12 adults! The house seemed to be bursting at the seams, and it was wonderful! We had casual finger foods of plenty, and of course lots of desserts!

My brother Holl and his wife Stacye got to come home for Christmas - this is always such a big hit for the kids!! They LOVE Uncle Holl!!! CH would not leave his side for much of anything!

A visit from Holl would not be normal with out some kind of pile on! So of course, yesterday - the kids were wrestling - and Holl was right in the middle of them. At some point he had them all pinned down in one big pile, with one hand. Then, pretty sure it was Haley Grace, one of them flew off an ottoman onto his back, almost tackling him. Little E came running from one direction, in some kind of a drop kick motion, landing right on top of MV and CR - with a gun strapped to his side and another in hand mind you.

Before we knew it - it was time for everyone to return to their own houses. The chaos ceased, and the house went quiet.

All of this was on Jeff and I's anniversary. Yesterday was our 9th anniversary! Like many - we spent it with family. One of these days, we duck out of the family chaos and go have a date.

At least he got to come home at lunch and enjoy it all with us. By the time dinner came, I was so exhausted, we just sat and watched some TV and went to bed a little early. That's what pregnancy is for me - it makes me so tired. Oh well.