I just LOVE the Christmas season! The smells, the cold air, the Christmas lights, baking, gatherings with family and friends, gift giving, reminders to serve, etc. I love everything about it! We were particularly excited this year because it's the first time that we've had a child old enough to 'get it' and really have a lot of fun with Christmas.
We knew that a tree in the living room wouldn't last 5 seconds with Bran-man so we decided to just put our little Cougar tree up in their room. Nolan was SO excited to put up the Christmas tree and lights!
And these two look particularly precious sleeping in the glow of Christmas lights ♥
We tried this felt tree, but it only lasted about 2 minutes (no lie). Nolan was getting frustrated that each ornament he put up Branson immediately tore down. And while I was trying to help Nolan deal with that B just decided to rip the whole tree down. Soooo...that was the quick end to that haha. Maybe next year.
Beautiful snow
Making a Christmas countdown chain with our sweet friend Shannon! Nolan loved being in charge of ripping off a chain each day and was pretty diligent in reminding us.
We wrote a letter to Santa! Nolan dictated, I wrote. I hear that many children are constantly changing their minds about what they want to ask Santa for. Not our Nolan. For two months leading up to Christmas he never waivered - it was always Star Wars blasters (although the number of blasters varied from 4 to 10 ☺). He also thought he knew what Branson would like hehe.
This is our third year making gingerbread houses with the Shelby's and Farr's and I'm loving the tradition!
Watching our Las Vegas family open up our gifts since we weren't together this year.
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Christmas at Gm and Gp Bailey's house
One night we went to Texas Roadhouse with Gm and Gp, Aunt Brianna, and her boyfriend Brady. N and B loved playing with the jukebox.
I picked this little tent up for the boys to take to Jeanni's house. Of course we couldn't wait to try it out so up it went!
Nolan even talked these two into getting in there with him!
Nolan was a riot looking at all of the presents. He re-arranged the gifts so that all of the ones with Star Wars wrapping were together and in front. He also took on the task of taking all of the gifts out of the box that Gm and Gp Mathews sent up and as he was doing it he kept saying things like, "this is going to be a little bit tricky," and "oh my gosh, this is a big one!" and "I think this one should go right here." It was adorable!
B pretty much just wandered around bumping into things and looking for remotes ☺
Christmas Eve
We let them each open one gift on Christmas Eve (as per tradition on both sides of the family). Although we're still trying to hash out which gift we should have them open? New pj's? The gift from cousins? We'll see. This year they chose the gifts from Aunt Mallory.
I'm pretty sure this look of Nolan's means Branson was touching him while he was trying to open a gift and he was telling him to "get off BRANson!"
As we were opening gifts Gm Bailey came in and announced that it had started snowing!! I was worried that my first opportunity for a 'White Christmas' wouldn't actually be white since we've had a lack of snow this year. But Utah came through for me!
This is perhaps the most perfect photo I will ever take ♥
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I guess those boys can't have been too bad this year because Santa came!!
There were so many gifts that I think the ones Santa brought got dwarfed a bit haha. We'll have to work on that. I should say though that they amount of gifts in this pic is a bit of an illusion because Gm and Gp Bailey wrapped 3 huge boxes and put them in front of the tree to keep Branson from getting to the ornaments haha.
Two perfect little boys nestled in their beds while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads ♥
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Christmas morning
The girls in our matching pj's
One of Nolan's favorite gifts (from Uncle BJ of course!)
GG Hunt got this for the boys and it was a huge hit with both of them!
One of the gifts I was most excited to give this year was this water color painting of the house Justin grew up in in Woodinville. I gave one to Justin and one to Gm and Gp Bailey. I think they liked it!
The last present Nolan opened was one from Santa to our family and he really came through. There were not one, but FOUR blasters inside! He was so excited and we've been having a lot of fun with them!
Pancakes using the new Darth Vader pancake maker from Gm and Gp Mathews. He was pretty excited!
3 boys just having a good time with the new track Gp Bailey got
Picks from Jeanni's house.
Christmas this year was sure a fun one! Now I've got the blues knowing I have to wait 12 months for the next one :(
