Twas the Night Before Christmas

and all through the house there were laughter and tears, all mixed about!


After our trip down south we headed north to my family's house. Christmas Eve was a bitter, sweet night. The bitter being that it seemed like so many things were difficult. My Grandma Anne was in the rehab home instead of with us, my brother broke up with his girlfriend of three years, Books' daughter had a break-up, and then we got a phone call that Matt's Grandpa Rex was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance and not expected to make it through the night. We were quite the emotional bunch! Grandpa ended up coming out of it extremely well considering, and is home from ICU today.
The sweet part was that we loved being together, and watching the girls get so excited about everything. Mom's best friend Books, her husband Al, and my great aunt Ellen came over to feast on our traditional ham, macaroni salad, special mini pizzas, and snack foods. Matisyn was at the perfect age this year. She was just so excited about everything. She had about a billion presents because I wrapped up every little thing. Plus my mom and I both spoiled her because there are so many fun things for her. I thought she would just rip through them, but she was so good. She was actually too slow. She would open a present and want to take each one apart and play with it right then. We didn't get through too many on Christmas Eve like we usually do. My family has always opened most of our presents the night before, and then opened Santa's presents on Christmas morning. We started that night and finished a couple of days later. Emilyn was at the stage of enjoying the wrapping more than the presents. She really loved eating the paper and the ribbons, and pounding and patting the presents.


Earlier in the week we spent a few hours with Therese, Jill, Kate and Leah. It is amazing to me how much Matisyn and Kate love each other even though they don't get to see each other very often. They ran straight for each other to give hugs and squeal with glee. Therese gave them these remote control cars with soft wheels that you can run into walls and they can flip over. The reaction Matisyn gave was priceless. She started shaking and screaming and jumping up and down when she saw what it was. She said it's just like what I saw on the big tv, it flips all around forward and back. Followed by more screaming and jumping. This turned out not to be the only time she did this, which made buying and giving presents to her worth it!



The boys held down the fort with the girls, and Mom took me to a fancy dinner. We drank fancy drinks, and ate fancy appetizers, had a delicious main course, and finished it off with dessert. It was a very nice evening out together. Thanks Mama!

Matisyn snuggling with Uncle Chunk


One of my best friend's from high school, that is still a dear friend, Laura, had a baby just a couple of months before I had Emilyn. Olivia and Emilyn had their first playdate while we were there this time! And I got to visit with Laura and my other best friend Melissa. I've known them both for 20 years or so, which is pretty special.




Our family on Christmas Eve


One of Matisyn's very favorite presents, a jar of cookies, that you can sort and play games with. My little treat girl opened this first, and we couldn't get her to move on to the next present for a LONG time afterward.


Emilyn was thinking this was very serious business unwrapping presents



Cousin Kay and Ross just got back from New York and said they couldn't pass up these hats for the girls. I don't think I've ever seen anything cuter!



Yummy, yummy ribbon

Em's showing a little crack!

Here's my special picture quilt I've been working on for my mom for Christmas this year. It was my first quilt ever, and I really like the way it turned out. I couldn't have done it without my mother in law who stayed up till the whee hours of the morning helping me quilt it, her best friend's fancy quilting machine (AKA Jana's mom's machine), and Megan who gave me the idea in the first place, helped me pick out fabric, and coached me on how to begin. Thank you, thank you! Merry Christmas Mom!

It's kind of funny to me because I still don't really know what I'm doing. People throw out words or phrases assuming I'll know what they're talking about, but I usually don't. Sometimes I nod like I do, and sometimes I admit my lack of knowledge. I figure I've got to start somewhere. I just get an idea in my head and decide I want to try it and do the best I can to create what I see. I have a lot to learn, but I'm proud to finally be using my sewing machine.



Here's Emilyn in her pajamas. She had already gone to bed, then started crying and decided she was not having any of that sleepy time stuff. She wanted to be down with the crowd playing with more wrapping paper!

Matching, hoody jackets

My boys, my hubby and my bro!

Matisyn's Letter to Santa Claus:

Dear Santa,
I love you everyday and I want to go to Disneyland with you. I want a Santa Dolly Pink. Happy Birthday Jesus.
Love, Matisyn