motherhood

Christmas Day.

8:00 PM

Hey, it's New Year's Eve, but you know how things go over on this space. I can be a little slow with the holiday postings. And I'm totally ok with that. I like to post when I feel like it rather than feeling like I *have* to.

Christmas morning we spent at home as a family. Last year we were in Oregon, so as our own little family, this was our first Christmas morning spent together. Just hubby, Holland, myself, and that little babe busy growing inside of me. I loved every moment. And I have to say, Holland's response to his Santa gift made my momma heart sing. He sure loves his planes and helicopters. You can find this cute little box airplane set here. Thank you Amazon!

We opened a few gifts, went through our stockings, popped some delicious overnight cinnamon rolls in the oven (I have a recipe coming for you), had a prayer…after all it is Jesus birthday, indulged in some cinamon-y bun goodness, and had a video chat with Holland's MeMaw (his grandma and my mother-in-law). 

We cleared our plates, loaded up the car and headed off to Grandma and Grandpa's for the remainder of the day. There we enjoyed brunch, family, and exchanged a few more gifts, and then a quiet evening at home.

It was perfect. And I think we found a breakfast tradition folks. Those cinnamon rolls I'm going to share with you were phenomenal.

We sorta stalked him like paparazzi from his crib to living room.


I think it's pretty safe to say he LOVED it! ^^ :D

Love these little chubby fingers! ^^







Dinos!

As a child, we always received fruit in our stockings (and toothbrushes) so we decided to pass that along to our Holland. And the apple went straight from stocking to mouth. Success.


Playdough toys and crayon gems

A harmonica for our little musical man

We also found some pomegranate fruit snacks and snuck those in. Can you tell he wakes ready to eat?

Cinnamon roll goodness.

A little hubby/wife gift exchange over breakfast

And off to grandma and grandpa's

My mom made this delicious apple streusel topped baked french toast casserole which we topped with a berry compote and a little maple syrup. Yum!

More helicopter  training videos on grandpa's phone. He is obsessed.

Pistachios with auntie.

A big ol' Christmas puggle. Holland learned to say his first name Christmas day. The dog of course! Hi Tess all day long. The cutest.

One cool Jeep from grandma and grandpa, complete with tools, a tool box and blocks. And of course buttons.


Grandpa snuggles.

With his new Aden & Anais Dream blanket.


And a few more grandpa snuggles in his school bus tent.
And then…my camera died. Which was maybe definitely a really good thing, forcing me to simply be present in the moment, no device in front of me, soaking up every moment. As a momma I want to capture up all these sweet moments to document them, knowing they will be gone before I know it, but just being in the moment can be a really good, powerful thing too. I'm learning. It's definitely a balancing act. But then again, as is life, right?

Merry Christmas & Happy New Years friends. We love you!

Until next year!

motherhood

Christmas Eve

10:15 PM




This year was our first in three years of being home. We've grown acquainted to traveling on the holidays, but this year with a new job in tow for hubby (woot woot!! we are SO proud of him) and a freshly ended school semester, we stayed near. In fact, that sweet man of mine worked Christmas Eve, meeting up with us late that night to bring us home. We missed him dearly, but are so thankful for a man who provides. He'd do anything for us. We love him so.

This year we spent both Christmas eve and day at my parent's house. Earlier in the week I may have even gotten my mom to join us for a hymn night at our church. We are lucky to have them just ten minutes away from us. It was a quiet, casual day. Traditionally, my family opens gifts on Christmas Eve, but with hubby busy at work we waited. And, I actually really liked it that way. My brother, sister, and uncle joined us.  We gathered together in the late afternoon, cooked up a big pesto lasagna, a roast and green salad and just enjoyed being together. 

Here's a few photos from our day together.

A dear friend sent us this ornament to remember our sweet puggle by. We cherished it. 

Beautiful cards filled our home.

Snacks at grandma and grandpa's.

Holland is sort of totally obsessed with videos of helicopters on grandpa's phone from trainings.

Showing mamma all grandma and grandpa's ornaments.

Sweet boy.


Sister, sister! It's about time we had a photo together.

He's just too much! ^^


Snow globes with grandma.


Awe and wonder.
and a little drool ;)

Showing grandpa how he claps, and claps, and claps.

And…..goodnight! This pretty much sums up the end of the night. We stayed out WAY passed bedtime and made it maybe two blocks away from grandma and grandpa's house and out went Holland. Sweet boy. Just like that.

But…that meant Santa got to come extra early.

and lay out this adorable box airport set.

Holland's got a thing for helicopters...

and airplanes.


and these lovely stockings knit for us by Auntie Melissa were laid out too.
I must say, having this little man of ours around sure makes holidays a blast! And to think there will be two of them next year!  ♥ ♥ ♥ 


Blessed. 

Stay tuned for our Christmas morning.

 

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