Christmas 2016

This was our first Christmas since having kids that we had NO family here with us. Before kids, I can only remember one other time that we were by ourselves with no family at the holidays. It sure felt weird, but in a way it was kind of nice because we had just wrapped up a crazy few weeks from Disneyland to Brielle's birthday to Hailey's birthday. Not having to host sounded amazing to us!

We spent Christmas Eve going out to dinner to one of my favorite places, The Crab Pot. It may not seem very traditional or festive, but we've made it a tradition over the years to make the night before Christmas low key and easy on us before hosting a large meal the next day. After dinner we came home and had the girls help us get ready for Santa by leaving out cookies, milk and carrots.

All dressed up and ready for dinner

A big beer...why not?!

Gotta love the bibs!

Matching jammies on and ready for Santa!

Boy that Santa is a lucky guy!!

Christmas morning is always a tough one. We have one kid, Cammy, who is up bright and early and ready for presents before anyone is awake. Then we have another kid, Hailey, who sleeps like her dad and wakes up later. And then there is the unpredictable one, Brielle, who might get up first or might get up last...you just never know! After making Cammy wait for a little bit and only peeking down at the tree from the top of the stairs, I let her go wake up the rest of the house. You can't hold a kid off too long (as this reminded me of myself when I was little and always the first to wake up).

The tree after Santa stopped by

Presents for the girls from Santa

The excitement from the girls this year was so much fun! Brielle was walking and more interactive and the other two just found pure enjoyment out of everything. To see Christmas through a kid's eyes is always the best feeling in the world! This year's big excitement was over the dune racer that Santa left under a blanket for the girls. They were beyond themselves excited and couldn't stop trying to drive it in the house.

Can't wait to try out the dune racer!

Stockings!

Diggin' in

Santa present time!

Trying to get one family photo...dogs included I guess

After a long morning of drawn out present opening, breakfast and phone calls to family we made our way over to our good friends', Nick and Lindsey's house for Christmas dinner with them and Lindsey's parents. It was nice that even though we couldn't be with our family, we got to spend it friends that feel like family!

Our girls with best buddy Penelope for Christmas dinner

Merry Christmas and here's to another new year!