Yes, it is still Christmas...

I have decided I will post our Christmas memories here if it kills me.  Which it may. :)  Nevertheless, in the spirit of all the fun times we had, I'm surging forward, hoping I can preserve for history's sake, our 2008 Christmas experience.

Just to recap, we celebrated our own little Christmas morning, then went to Cory's family's house, and then late on Christmas Eve headed up to my family's house.  It's hard to capture all the things we did and all the memories we made in just a few paragraphs, but here are some highlights:

Over the past couple of years we've tried to incorporate a feeling of serving one another into our Christmas.  So each year we have the name of another family member to serve throughout the year.  So on Christmas Eve, even though it was late, we gathered together and recounted how we'd served each other.  It was a fun, bonding time as a family and made us appreciative of one another as we realized the sacrifices made in our behalf.  And there was a pretty good dose of laughter in there too, I believe.  Because that is just what we do. :)

On Christmas Morning, our little munchkins were up early and ready for presents.  Since they are the only little kids on my side of the family, it became their job to wake up my brothers who seem to have lost some of that Christmas morning magic.  I think they succeeded in helping them reclaim it. :)  About 15 years ago, my aunt,  uncle and cousins came out to spend Christmas with my Grandma and my family.  On Christmas morning, when my teenage cousin wouldn't get up for presents, my Grandma took matters into her own hands and walked into his room with a bell singing, "I heard the bells on Christmas Day" as loud as she could.  Needless to say, it woke him up and the same technique worked well with my brothers.  The kids took some of my Dad's bells (luckily he collects them, so they had many to choose from) and rang them and sang until my brothers were up.  Only they sang "Jingle Bells" since its a little more kid friendly.  So the tradition lives on...

Speaking of my Grandma, the bell-ringer herself, here she is holding Paige who she more frequently refers too as "little doll."  One of the best parts of Christmas is just being with family.  I love my Grandma to pieces and she loves me and my kids just as much.  Isn't she a dear?

And here is my Daddy's mom, loving on the babe as well.  She's the most talented seamstress--she made both my prom dresses, Ian's blessing suit and my wedding gown as well.  She also knitted all our Christmas stockings (which you can see a picture of in the collage below).  

One of my favorite things about the holidays were a few well-timed naps. :)  Here I was snuggled up with Elise's curious George stuffed animal.  Let me just tell you, I was OUT.  I'm just glad I wasn't drooling!

One of Ian and Elise's favorite things about the holidays was unrestricted computer time.  The sweet thing was, one would get on the desktop computer, the other on the laptop, and they would play the same game at the same time.  They really loved working together to win the games.  

Merry Grace spent quite a bit of time over the holidays blowing out candles.  She repeatedly told my mom that it was her birthday, at which time we would all stop what we were doing and sing "Happy Birthday to You" to her and then let her blow out the candle.  No wonder I've thought she acted 25--that's probably how many birthdays she celebrated! :)

Over the Christmas holidays, my brother proposed to his girlfriend and she said YES!  I'm so excited to finally have a brother join the married ranks and especially with this girl.  Can I just tell you that she is awesome?  She's beautiful, smart, accomplished, good and fun!  We truly couldn't imagine him with anyone better.  They are wonderful together and we can't wait for the wedding this summer!!!

The best part of the holidays--being together! 

It was a wonderful holiday.  We were blessed with health, happiness and the ability to not wring each others necks.  We survived it and we loved it!  What more can you ask?