Christmas Insanity

Christmastime, like for some families, is nuts at our house. Christmas Eve and Day are packed from sunrise to sunset. While it sounds fun, and is for the most part, it is also 100% exhausting. We look forward to the years to come when our holiday plans will eventually change and life can slow down a bit so we can focus on the Christmas spirit a little bit more.

For this year, we were obviously ecstatic to be able to drive home to WI for the festivities. It was a short trip, only 6 days, and we had to leave at 3am on Friday morning to get there. But it was nice.

We got to my parents’ house on Friday, December 23rd. The girls were in heaven, like always. Especially when Gramma brought out her money!

Next day it was Christmas Eve. We spent the morning at Greg’s mom’s and Steve’s house where there literally is never a dull moment. Toys, Santa galloping through the woods, presents, breakfast, cookie decorating, some random games; it will make anyone get pooped out.

From left:
Shelby (18mo), Steve, Matthew (3yrs), Seth (2mo), Lorna, and Morgan (3yrs).

Morgan and Aunt Bonnie.

Shelby was obsessed with having a bow on her head.

After that visit, we headed back home to my parents’ to let the girls take a much needed nap. My sister and her family arrived around 4:00pm to celebrate my mini-birthday and Christmas Eve, again! It was fun, and again, exhausting.

My dad, Morgan, Shelby and my mom.

My dad, Hadley (7mo), my mom, Morgan, Shelby, Kendra (3yrs).

After birthday cake (for Jesus and myself) the girls watched the Polar Express. It was too cute as they all sat there for quite some time just in awe.

The next morning, we woke up to a tree filled with Santa presents. We opened them, got the girls dressed and headed out the door to Grandpa Patten’s house. Where the wonderful world of TRAINS was waiting for us…

Shelby actually sat still for quite some time watching the train go around and around and around.

Greg’s excited about his new train car.

And Grandpa Patten loved teaching the kids all about trains.

It was a fun, but exhausting week. We got to see friends, go to the Admirals game, bought a new TV and surprisingly, no one got sick!  That is what I call…SUCCESS!