A Little Past Due Christmas Post

We celebrated Christmas at home this year. There is something to be said about a little "just our family" Christmas. I love a big, extended, every relative you have kind of deal, but I also love how easy it is when it is just the four of us. Our little tree became less sad sprig and more real Christmas pine when it was surrounded by a bounty of gifts.

Everyone know that Christmas really begins on Christmas Eve. We always attend the Christmas Eve service at our church. The kids were feeling rowdy and this was the best photo I got. I wanted a couple after we got home, but that was poor planning on my part. Carson's outfit didn't stay clean that long!

I tried getting some pictures at the church, but that didn't work either. Carson was not in the mood to be photographed. I also put my camera on the wrong setting and ended up with zero decent photos of  the kids opening their gifts that night. It was still a really nice night, though. We always go out to dinner. That is one of my favorite parts! The house is always spotless and so I get to come home after a great dinner to a clean house and just enjoy the evening. Joel and I ended up exchanging our gifts to each other after the kids went to bed. We loved that so much we decided we are going to do that every year.

We are the only people I know who have to wake their children up on Christmas morning. We had two sleepy heads for sure! I actually love when Christmas is on a Sunday. There is something so appropriate about spending the Lord's birthday in His house. However, it did make for an early morning since we wanted the kids to open their gifts before church.

Carson was so cute this year. He was very grateful for all his presents and was so excited to have gifts for everyone. He bought his dad some "dude spray "- that is what he calls cologne. He was so pleased with himself and even more pleased when he got a very nice thank-you hug from Daddy.

We got both the kids new robes and Carson absolutely adores his. He wore it all day for two solid days-over his clothes, even! He makes such a dapper little dude.

Jocelyn looked pretty cute in hers too. She made some of the sweetest faces over her presents-she is so expressive and excited. She loved her set of Kit books from Grammy.

Carson loved all his presents. I had to laugh over leaving the clearance tag on this one! I bought most of their presents back in July for great deals-but I didn't intend to document that in photos.:)

Jocelyn loves making a tower out of her presents every year. This is 2011's pile of loot!

I couldn't resist taking a photo of Carson with his favorite stocking stuffer: Lego Star Wars undies. He is going to make threats over this photo in later years. And his future wife will love it!

We finished all the festivities in time to get prettied up for church. This photo is an absolutely perfect representation of my children's personalities. And please note that yes, those are pirate ships on my son's socks.

 And for the finale: a fairly decent family photo, considering this was the second time we have used the timer on my camera and it was precariously perched on the sofa arm since we do not have a tripod. Someday... a tripod and a DSLR to go with it. But for now, I will settle for an okay photo of a wonderful family on a very nice Christmas morning. I know it is January, but better late than never, right?