This Christmas......

...we made a big 'ol delicious mess in the kitchen making cookies for Santa. And it was a beautiful mess. With squillions of little, red sprinkles everywhere. And it made me really miss Bentley...she would've had a hay day licking them all up off the floor.


We prepared a Mexican feast of tamales, fajitas, enchiladas, homemade salsa and stuffed jalapenos and ate until our hearts were content and we could no longer breathe. We sat around the room watching the sheer excitement on the Little's faces as they got "the best present ever".






We played The Newlywed Game and laughed our heinies off at the ridiculous answers that our better halves gave......and some of us may or may not have pouted. Just a little. We celebrated two very special birthdays and even blew out their candles for them. After relighting and making their wishes............ we ate cake.


Red velvet. And brownie pie. And chocolate mouse pie. And key lime pie. And fudge.




Needless to say, we were on a sugar-induced high that lasted well into the wee hours of the morning. (1 a.m.)



I gained a few pounds and new smile wrinkles that night. After packing up the Little's and heading the long journey home (just kidding, we live .8 miles from my parents now), we sat out our cookies for Santa and tucked them in and let their tiny heads fill with sugar plum dreams.


And then it was.



Christmas.





Her first and his fourth. And it was perfect.


I'm very well aware that I will forever remember that exact moment. The way his flannel reindeer jammies hung on his body and the intent look on his face as he woke up that morning and made a beeline to his little tree in the playroom and then turned with the saddest look ever and said, "Mommy, Santa didn't come." "Yes he did, baby.....he put your present on the fireplace.....see?" I guess with all the talk about Santa and explaining that he brings one very special toy to good little girls and boys on Christmas Eve while you're sleeping and that he needs cookies and milk to get him through the night because he travels all over the world in such a short time frame......we forgot to mention that he comes down the chimney.



Hmmmmmm. I can't believe I forgot that part. So, he ran to the fireplace and all was right with the world.




I will forever remember how content she was....just laying in front of the fire watching her snow globe. And we opened presents from one another and took little breaks here and there to play with the new and then opened some more.


We had brunch with Nana and Pawpaw and then headed to Mimi and Pappi's for more celebrating. And that's where we got the best.present.ever.


Aunt Emily had very sneakily flown in from Cali without anybody knowing! What a wonderful surprise!! I walked in the kitchen at my in-laws and there she was! It was awesome. And awesome to see the surprise on everyone else's face as they realized she was home.




That night we ate Mexican pile-on and opened presents with the boys. The little girls didn't quite make it.....they needed their beauty rest. I think Grayson said "Oh my gosh" no less than 20 times as he opened all of his goodies. They stayed up all night making hot dogs and hamburgers and hot coffee for everyone.

We slept in on Christmas morning and woke to yummy breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls.....and then it was the girls turn. They both were decked out in their Christmas pretties and just giggled and cooed at all of their sweet presents.







Mimi made the most adorable matching purple corduroy dresses and dolls for them both. She also made each one of them a pillow and blanket to match their nursery....so very sweet and so special! After the girls were finished, we opened stockings and then all sat around for our traditional Christmas story. Each year, Uncle Mark reads the story of Jesus' birth aloud. The boys knew the story by heart and could answer all of Uncle Mark's questions. After the story, the boys made a birthday cake for Baby Jesus.


We sang Happy Birthday and had cake and sugar highs by 11:30. It was AWESOME! We left that afternoon and headed home to a house that looked like a bomb had gone off. This was, by far, my most favorite Christmas yet. Not because it was perfect, but because it was real and good and comfortable. And maybe....because of them.