Christmas Break

This year, our Christmas break started on December 23rd, which meant Christmas was right at the beginning of our break. While a lot of people were not excited with the way our school calendar fell, we welcomed the time we would have after all the Christmas celebrations. We started out our Christmas by celebrating with the Hood side of the family at Shane's sister's house on Christmas eve.

After celebrating in Sugarland, we headed back home and got ready for Santa and his Reindeer to visit our house. Of course nicely decorated sugar cookies and milk for Santa and Reindeer food for his sled pullers.

I guess everyone was good this year because Santa ended up stopping at our house on Christmas morning and brought the boys exactly what they asked for.

Headed down to see what
Santa brought them

Wow!!!!

Someone was really excited about his yellow
watch

Camden has been asking for a
'big boy towel' since (I am embarrassed
to say) they still use hooded towels

A pencil sharpener to put on his new desk

Mollie had to be in the middle
of it all

Casen's gifts he made at school which I treasure so much!

Camden's awesome gifts he made for us.

Camden now has his 'office' in his closet

We had fun putting together Legos in his 'office'

Obligatory family photo on Christmas

My parents went and visited Grandma Christmas morning to celebrate her 100th birthday and Christmas with her prior to arriving at our home sometime after lunch. I absolutely love this picture my mom took of Grandma and two of her boys. Can I tell you, I just love my family!!!! And Grandma looks as beautiful as ever, and in my opinion does not look 100 at all!! I hope her aging genes were passed on to me!

We celebrated with the Key side of the family on the 26th, but unfortunately my sister came down with the flu on Christmas Eve so was in bed for all of the Christmas celebrations. We were supposed to have Christmas at her house, but since we were all trying to avoid her like the plague (sorry Melissa) we had Christmas here at our house. We had a great meal that was group effort between Shawn and my mom.

Dad getting beat my Casen in Connect Four

It is a tradition that Melissa and I both give our nephews a 'nice' Christmas ornament each year as our great Aunt Maxine did for us growing up. We both decorate our trees with the ornaments we received each year and treasure them. Our hope is that our boys (or their wives) will also treasure the ornaments they receive throughout their child hood.

Yes, it is crazy, but I asked for logs for Christmas. They were EXACTLY what I wanted!

Just as my sister and I received an ornament from our great Aunt Maxine each year, my mother also received an ornament from her. For years, it was a candy cane from the Wallace collection that she received since they started (back in the 80's). After my Aunt Maxine's death, Melissa and I made sure mom continued to receive the candy cane ornament. There was one year my mom did not receive the ornament as Aunt Maxine's husband, Uncle Johnny, had passed around the holidays and she never made it out to buy the ornaments.  This year I was able to track down the ornament from 1986 that mom never received. Now her candy cane tree will be complete. 

I asked my sister for pictures from her camera that Mason took for her since she was unable to celebrate with us. I found these two gems. :)

Mason's beautiful girlfriend, Kelsi

Mason's GQ pose 

While we were out on Christmas break, we took the boys to see the new Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. It was the boys fist time to see a movie in 3D.

Every year it is a tradition for us to decorate a gingerbread house. This year, between sports and Christmas being at the very beginning of our break, we did not get our gingerbread house decorated until after Christmas. Regardless, we still had fun and it is fun watching the boys creativity at work.

  

The finished project

 We had a great Christmas break and enjoyed all our time together.