A Georgia Family Christmas

What a beautiful Christmas Day with our family.  As James and I sit here this evening (watching Love Actually, one of the few movies we actually own on DVD), we keep saying to each other "I loved today".

After a quiet Christmas Eve dinner and lovely Christmas Eve service at out church, we came home to lots of last minute things to prep for the big day.  We barely made it to bed before Santa arrived…(fortunately we must have been his last stop, because as my head hit the pillow at 2AM he was still yet to be seen.)  

JB isn't quite old enough to understand the whole concept of Santa, but he was sure old enough to realize that there was something big in our living room this morning!! Mr. Bed Head in his Christmas PJs beelined as soon as he saw it! 

Santa was good to JB, bringing him a slide that also contained a structure to hide on, hide beneath, and it even had a steering wheel.  He was thrilled.

We spent a lot of time in the morning like this: 

(It only took an hour for JB to completely fall off the top and hit the floor.  Yikes! This prompted a move to the carpeted area downstairs until the slide comes to its final resting place outside on the nice, soft grass.)

In JB's stocking, he got a new puppet book (his favorite book collection), some new sippy cups with big staws for his smoothies (which will come in handy since Mama got a NINJA!), and a set of ergonomic fork and spoon.  The fork was the biggest hit ever.  He nearly took it to bed tonight.  

Santa also brought some super stylish new shoes.  My little hipster baby was a big fan of these, too. 

Enda didn't get anything but another morning filled with an attention-hoarding baby brother. 

Ms. Leron gave JB a Little People nativity set, which he loved. It will be so useful next Christmas, as JB will be old enough to start listening to (maybe starting to comprehend?) the story of Jesus' birth.

I made JB a book of all his family, with pictures and special things about each of his family members.  He's fortunate that he sees many of them all the time, and even those far away are very active in his life.  It will hopefully help in teaching him names - although of course he needs to start saying "Mama" first... :)

For lunch we had a big crowd - siblings, aunt, uncles, cousins, first-cousins-once-removed.  And, we had food.  We had some good food.  Honest to goodness, I ran the dishwasher three times today.  But I love nothing more than a busy, crazy house! 

After a fun and fiesty white elephant exchange and some more sweet gifts for JB and the other kiddos, the house quickly became quiet again and it was only our little family of three. So much love this Christmas - again, just a beautiful day!

Merry, Merry Christmas.  …Luke 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12"This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."…