christmas memories

I'm a sucker for traditions.  I love creating traditions, I love sticking with traditions, I love the memories traditions create and how special traditions just make the holidays.  Growing up we went to church every Christmas eve.  Sometimes we went to midnight mass, sometimes we went earlier, I sang in the children's choir on Christmas eve for a few years.  And, for me, it just sets the tone for the rest of the evening and the next day.  It's so much fun to see the church all lit up and decorated for Christmas.  This year Elaina was really into baby Jesus and playing with her little nativity set we got her, so to see the big nativity scene set up in the church was a real thrill!  We took her baby Jesus with us to church to keep her occupied during mass and she kept accidentally dropping it on the floor or in the pew in front of us. She was definitely entertaining everyone around us, to say the least.

merry christmas!

my sweet little fam

After mass we went over to our family friends' house.  The Delclos fam always has a bunch of people over Christmas eve to eat and hang out. So, that's what we did! Eat, hang out, open presents, Elaina was in heaven since Henry kept bringing her juice boxes from the fridge outside.  After the little party, we headed home to put the munchkin to bed.  And, after she went to sleep, Houston headed over to my parents house to start putting together some toys!  My mom and dad got Elaina a play kitchen for Christmas and anyone who knows my dad knows it's better if he does NOT try to be handy. Dad trying to be handy usually ends up in anger, frustration, possibly a thrown tool of some sort, and a few bad words.  Love that man but being handy is not his forte.  I gave Houston the heads up well in advance that it would be better if he put the kitchen together.  And, that he did.  He had quite the assistant with my brother around.  I played babysitter at our house so I was super bummed I missed out on all the assembly fun.

the handymen

good morning princess!

Christmas morning Elaina woke up, we opened stockings, and headed over to Mimi and Papi's house!

"canny!!"

Growing up my mom always read The Sweet Smell of Christmas to us, and in the book there is an orange in the stocking!  So, every year we always had an orange at the bottom of our stocking. I already mentioned my love of traditions so, what did Elaina find?! An orange!  Now, I just need to get the book for next year!

"orange!"

already pleased with her loot!
orange, candy cane, m&ms, bubble guppies stickers and coloring book, princess crown/headband, princess ornament, and a magic wand

Santa brought Houston a McDonalds calendar!
I think Santa got it for free with a McDonalds gift card ;)

Yet another tradition, every year we got a new Christmas ornament for the tree!  When we were younger, my parents would take us to the store and we could pick out our own ornament for the year.  My mom still buys all of her children and grandchildren and Christmas ornament every year.  I've kept this tradition going ever since the beginning of our marriage.  I think the first year we were married I got Houston a BYU football ornament.  Fitting, I know! I still haven't figured out how I want to give the ornaments to my family each year though.  I'll be honest, at least at this moment in time, I don't want my kids picking out the ornaments.  I like picking them out!  I'm a controlling personality to say the least.  But, it's fun picking them out and I know what gets to go on my tree!  For the last few years I've put the ornaments in our stockings but, then you don't get to enjoy them all season long.  Random musings.  Maybe I'll come up with a different way to do it for next year!

Houston's ornament for 2013: a monkey DJ!

Harley was even a good girl this year

the kitchen was a hit!

telling mimi and papi thank you for her awesome present

making important phone calls

important kitchen prep

getting to work, heels and all

Aunt Nana and Uncle Scott bought Elaina the CUTEST cowgirl boots!
She LOVES them!

Santa brought Elaina a tricycle for Christmas.  It was hiding in the corner of the living room.  Elaina had been playing with her kitchen for about 30 minutes when all of a sudden she looks over and sees it!  "bike! bike! bike!" Oh man, all the work that goes into organizing Christmas is so worth it to see her face light up!

We surprised Mimi with a picnic table for the backyard!

And, the best surprise of all was from my mom and dad!  They hid nine clear ornaments all over the Christmas tree. Each ornament had a name written on it and they were filled with dolla dolla bills y'all!  All of the "big kids" had to go on a scavenger hunt and find the ornaments with your name on it!  Coolest Christmas gift ever!

breaking in the picnic table

my man cookin up some grub

Since Julie and Forrest were spending Christmas with their significant others Victor and Janet came over to my parents' house for Christmas dinner!  We had the nontraditional traditional dinner of mexicana beef tenderloin, saffron rice, and cilantro cream sauce.  Oh, my mouth is watering at this very moment.  So so delicious.

harley the happy christmas camper

siblings much?

Merry Christmas from me and my crazy kiddo!