Christmas 2014

This year we celebrated Christmas at home, just the five of us. Our first Christmas at home, and it was just what we needed. We opened presents and stockings, with Avery playing Santa. She passed out all the gifts before settling down to open her own, which surprised me at first, but really, it lines up with her desire to savor the good things in life.

I spent the entire week before Christmas sewing an Elsa dress for her, even dragging my machine to Houston for our visit with my family. I'd say she loved it.

It was all Frozen on Avery's end, and all Superman on Eleanor's. Sometimes they couldn't be more opposite.

Fun fact: Jack is exactly the same age (plus two days) that Avery was at her first Christmas. He managed to stay awake through all of the present opening however, while Avery needed a nap partway through.

Pancakes for breakfast, a nap for me, and then hours in the kitchen cooking Christmas dinner. I think we'll go simple next year so I can play with the kids more. Or we'll be home the days leading up to it and travel after so that I can do food prep.

A quiet day with my most favorite people in the world, celebrating the birth of Christ.

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Christmas Travels

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we had 4 trips, about one every week. Next year we're staying home, because this just wore.me.out. While all of the extra time with extended family was wonderful, I'm ready to be home over the holidays with my own little crew and start our own traditions.

Christmas week was a busy one all by itself, back and forth for family pictures, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day festivities, and catching both sides of the family. I'll let the pictures tell the story this time, in no particular order.

Checking out Christmas lights before we left for the holidays. (And I have NO idea why my picture is flashing. Crazy Google.)

Riding her new bike from Nonnie. Though really, she's too short for it still and is just posing here. 

Christmas brunch and presents at Great-Grandma's

Great-Great-Uncle Dan helping Eleanor with her new tools. 

Avery could not wait to open presents. We went to so many different houses with presents that she woke up the day after Christmas asking which house we were going to next for presents. Sheesh. 

Avery and my gramma - love that they get to spend time together

My grandpa helping Eleanor with something...Easter eggs I think.

She was in such a grumpy mood, but snuggles from Pap-paw make everything better.

Checking out Avery's new desk. I love how excited Eleanor is over this!

Fighting over the chair.

"Udside down!"

Glad Eleanor is smiling here. Just wait til you see her a few pics down.

The mustache is terrible. So glad it's gone! (Sorry honey, I still love you tons!)

Luke's dad kept telling everyone to pose like a model and would show us how to do it. Glad the photographer caught this shot!

Eleanor. Oh sweet Eleanor. No nap and it was dinnertime.

All of the Presleys

Nana and Pap-paw with their grandkids. Eleanor is TICKED.

Thanksmas

With 5 kids in my family, and all of us with families, it's hard to coordinate all of our schedules, so this year we picked a random weekend between Thanksgiving and Christmas to get together. Family Thanksmas was last weekend at my sister's house. Lots of celebrating, because this also fell on my nephew's 2nd birthday.

Avery at the ready to help open presents if needed

Ransom checking out Grayson's loot

4 of 5 cousins

Thanksmas brunch!

Bri is sporting some spiffy new glasses. We decided that she pulled off the thick glasses and plaid better than my husband (see pic below)

Dane and Ransom; Luke and Eleanor

kid table

Sophie will get to join the kid table next year!

Elmo!! She couldn't wait for me to get him out of the box.

This girl was BEYOND excited over her new headband and Disney Fairy set

When I see this picture, all I can think of is this:

Cousin pic - Grayson and Eleanor were napping. And, happens to be the only pic of my brother. I'm such a bad photographer. Missed the other brother entirely, plus about half of the family. Sheesh.

The best we could get.

Ransom snuggles so well.

Luke testing out his new sleeping bag

Grayson practicing being a big brother. Not much longer now!

Christmas Holidays, Part 1

Straight from New Mexico (with a brief stop in Austin to pick up Christmas gifts) to Houston. A couple days with my mom, who had the girls, and then to Luke's parents' house for Christmas Eve/Christmas. All of Luke's siblings spent the night, so the girls had cousins galore to play with. Christmas Eve service at their church, home for his mom's annual Christmas Eve salmon and broccoli soup (it's yum!), waiting for the older kids to fall asleep, and then mass scrambling to put out the presents. The next morning, crazy fun ensues as paper goes flying and kids exclaim with excitement. Avery was just too sweet - most of her presents were at the bottom of the pile, but she just sat there, waiting patiently. Day after Christmas we went to my mom's house to celebrate with my side of the family, and it's so fun to have so many babies around!

was so happy to be home eating breakfast with this monkey again

shoes on, all the time, even over footie pjs

loving Nana's Christmas chair

a game of Risk

blurry, but I just love that grin

adore these jammies

playing hide-n-seek - Avery always hides in plain sight and giggles the whole time

beautiful girls in their Christmas dresses

Christmas Eve service with Emily

with Peyton

sweet baby Lucy

annual Christmas Eve gift - new pjs. Avery was a little disappointed that it wasn't something cooler. She'll catch on in a few years that it's ALWAYS pjs.

Christmas photos part 2 to come later - I have to find them first!