Our Life!: Christmas, Blizzards and Sickness!!

I am surrounded by the smell of cherry menthol cough drops, vicks vapor rub and the sound of sniffiles and coughs. Brian is down and out with some kind of sinus infection. Owen is sick too. What he has, I am not sure but he is hacking up a lung, staying in his jammies and snuggling with dad all day!!! They have spent the day in bed. Shane and I are fine. We are in "nurse" mode. Bringing water, going to the drug store, making sure they are ok!!! All while trying to catch up on house work and such. No fun!!!!

Christmas is done. I am cooked! I love this holiday more and more each year. It gets better every year with my kids. I feel like I spend weeks preparing for one evening and one day. They come and go so fast. I am usually depressed after because of how fast they came and went. Not this year. We had the best "day after Christmas" ever. We were snowed in! I couldnt have asked for a better way to end the holiday. We stayed in our jammies all day and watched the snow come down, listened to the winds howl, sat by the fire to keep warm and played with Owens Christmas gifts. It was fantastic.

Christmas Eve has always been spent with Brians family. Sadly with the way our families are so spread out over the state we have decided to start our own traditions. Its bitter sweet. I love being around family so much but its just so much driving and with such small kids its better to be home, have a nice dinner, get the kids in their matching jammies and open presents. So as sad as I am to end one tradition I am beyond happy to start my own.

We were so happy to welcome John the Elf into our home after Thanksgiving. Christmas Eve is time to say good bye. He goes back to the North Pole for the rest of the year. Our time with John has ended. He spends his last day with us in our tree. So that way when Santa comes he just leaves with him. Good bye John!

My sister and Bryan did not have anything going on so they joined us for dinner. I have not spend Christmas Eve with my sister in at least 10 years. It was so nice to be with her. They were able to share in our new tradition.

This is the night we exchange our gifts. Owen gets to open any gifts he gets from us or anyone else that sent them. We got him a PSP (play station portable). He loved it!!! He and Brian have been playing video games alot lately. I thought he was finally old enough for something like this. I am not a fan of video games but boys will be boys!

Shane got him a sponge bob snuggie. He loved that too!!!

Christmas Day was just as great! We went to my moms for brunch, visited with my Grandfather at my Aunts and spent the eveing with Brians parents. It was alot of running around but so great to see everyone.

My mom and Bill cook a big feast. It was sooooo yummy!!!!

Thanks to my father-in-law we have pictures of the evening. I was so tired and that point and just didnt want to juggle the baby on my hip and the camera in my other hand. So Thank you Dan for taking these pictures!