1001 Christmases

We decided we would be crazy people this year and take off for two entire weeks to travel and visit family.  Crazy people is an understatement. I don't think we have ever been away from our own home for two weeks much less travelled 1600ish miles.  I have WAY too many pictures from all our Christmas parties, etc…but I am going to post them anyway and just caption as I go. We were in Baltimore for six days where we celebrated two Christmas Eves, Jesus' Birthday (along with a star cake) and Christmas Day.  Some of my favorite things were reading the true Christmas story from Luke with just our family of four and Andrew's letter to Santa. It was getting pretty late on Christmas Eve so we started rushing to get the boys to bed. Andrew laid down with Don without even requesting a book (which I can pretty much guarantee that in his 4.5 years that has NEVER happened!) I was getting ready for bed and when I came out he was standing at their door panicking that we hadn't left our note. So I told him I would write it for him if he would tell me what he wanted to write. He said, "Dear Santa, Thank you for all the gifts you give everyone in the entire world."

                     The yearly picture with Santa and Mrs. C   ---look at last year!! They have gotten soo big!

                                Making the cake for Jesus

                                                         Lighting luminaries with Daddy

                                       The crazy reading of "The Night Before Christmas"

                                                 Leaving the plate for Santa and the reindeer

                                 Christmas morning! Andrew woke up at 545 and we made him lay in bed with us until Ryan woke up. He played on my Christmas present-my iphone for an hour!

                          We really tortured the boys and made them wait until Mike, Pat and Great-Grandma all came downstairs. It really was cruel to a 4 year old but he held out!

                                 Look! They're gone!

                                                     Just what Andrew asked for for Ryan-LEGOHEADS!!

            New Scooters

   Trying to carry this to Grammy

       Andrew's favorite gift I think -

 Chris' favorite gift-finally a Raven's jersey!

 Ryan's favorite-bouncy horse and lacrosse sticks

 Christmas Eve dinner

  Singing to Jesus