Christmas Recap In the House

We are slowly coming up for air, out of the blur and fog of hosting friends and family for holiday meals, drinks and game nights. Our holiday was full of love, chaos, laughter, tears, snot, late nights, marathons of Muppet Christmas Carol, early mornings, snot and did I mention snot??

Through all the sleep depervation that comes with sick kids, the constant med giving, nose wiping, and cuddles that only mom can give we were able to feel so loved and blessed. When I look back at the holidays this year I just feel really really grateful and thankful for all those that God has put in my life. Not just our family but our friends, good friends who were in town and loved our kids and us so well.

Some "always" moments, things that we "always" do and still did this year were:

- Christmas at the zoo with my parents, they buy our membership for us every year and as a thank you and a fun way to celebrate the holidays with them we take them to Christmas at the zoo with us. It was a HIT and almost 50 degrees out which was awesome.

- We attended the annual viewing of It's a Wonderful Life with Matt's family.

- Christmas Eve at my Grandma's, the last one in her current home, the home we've been celebrating in for 20 some years, it's bittersweet but I am so happy she is moving just down the street from us.

 - Christmas morning breakfast at our house with my family. I love that my mom brings breakfast and we get to spend the morning with them. It's so special having my parents and sister and brother here with us.

New this year was that we actually hosted Christmas Day, it was exhausting but so good for the kids. They didn't have to leave the house or their pj's! Another new occurance this year, the stand mixer that has been hiding for 5 years, I got it out 3 times this Christmas season!! My husband is a happy man :)

I also don't want to forget the message I heard on Christmas Eve this year (my sister in law stayed with our kids so we could go and not have to wrestle sick kids at 10 pm, best gift ever!)

As believers we need to take Christmas as a breath of fresh air, a fresh start. This world is weary and we are weary with all that life throws at us but as believers we need to remember to be a people of HOPE. We have HOPE because of Jesus!

**side note, Garrett is not a paci kid he only uses it at night but poor guy was so sick, so we will forever remember the year Garrett was not feeling himself and wouldn't let us take it out of his mouth for pictures, pretty sure I need to burn that one!