Christmas 2014

There is not much I love more than Christmas.  I love everything about it.  I love the lights, baking goodies, putting up decorations, watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music, drinking hot cocoa, going to parties, giving gifts, getting Christmas cards in the mail, being together and of course celebrating the reason for the season, Jesus' birth.  I can't even fathom the love God has for us knowing He sent His only son to die on the cross for our sins so that we can be in relationship with Him and one day spend eternity with Him in heaven.

We had a quiet Christmas day at home just our family of four, and I couldn't have loved it more!  We spent the entire morning opening presents.  Since it was just us we were able to let the kids set the pace and of course, they wanted to check out and play with each gift as they opened it.  We ate good food and just had a relaxing day.  We spent the evening driving around looking at Christmas lights.  We call this Jammy Cocoa Christmas, a tradition we copied from my blog friend Shay.  We all put on our pajamas (or more accurately this year, kept them on since we'd spent the whole day in pjs:), made hot cocoa to go, grabbed some candy canes, piled in the car, turned on the Christmas music and drove around looking at lights.  It was so much fun!  Candy Cane Lane was our favorite.  Then we finished watching the cartoon version of Elf before bed.  We had started it the night before.

I keep my Christmas cards up all year. :)

Christmas Eve

Michael and I finally finished putting the kitchen together and somehow still liked each other. ;)

Christmas morning!  Love this picture!  So excited!!

We get them each a special ornament to reflect the year every year.

checking our Daddy's new ice fishing pole

We put up Clara's new magnetic calendar we are using as part of her preschool each day.

banging on the play pots and pans

Spiderman is a current favorite.

Clara started showing a bigger interest in dollies a few months ago and LOVES babies.  Later in the day she said to me, "but I wanted a REAL baby..." :)

all things Cars is another favorite

It's so fun to listen to them pretend play.  They do little voices for the things they are playing with and create little scenarios.  It's so cute.

Play doh is hours of fun around here.

haha, looks real enough to eat

jewelry box with "Clara Grace" engraved on it for free ~ love Melissa & Doug

My bestie Jess made the kids these adorable aprons!!

wresting Daddy

ready for Jammy Cocoa Christmas

:)