Christmas Re-Cap

First, I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas!  I know we sure did!  It was filled with family, friends, good food, presents and the most important thing, the birth of Our Savior, Jesus!!!

We started out with a family {sort of} gathering on Christmas Eve afternoon.  Now I say sort of family because it was with family, but for my step siblings father.  Yes, the oddity of my family continues!  My step siblings father is great, we call him Pop Pop, and he treats Caroline, Tab & me like we were part of his family too.  It's such a relief, because I have to admit the 1st time I met him 5 years ago, I was a little unsure of how we would be accepted since my dad is married to his ex-wife!  But he's totally great and adores Caroline!  I've even taken him to the doctor when no one else could!  I guess we all just seem to carry out the we're all one big family thing!  LOL!

On our way I was taking pics of course!

 Dillon & Blake

My Sweet Hubby

 Pop Pop & Sherry

After that, my SIL, nephew, Caroline & I went to Christmas Eve service.  I love going to Christmas Eve service, it's so re-affirming of my faith, and I love that Caroline gets to be a part of such a beautiful service reminding us of what Christmas is all about right before getting into to bed on Christmas Eve.  As usual, it was a beautiful service and Analisa {SIL} and I didn't make it through the 1st song without bawling like babies.  That's the other reason going to Christmas Eve service with her is so special to me...we've both lost our mother's, and both of us have great memories of being at Christmas Eve service with our families.  So I think that may be our new Christmas Tradition.  We always get some pics of the kids after the service while they're all dressed up!

 

 After church, I dropped Boog off at her dad's so they could have Christmas.  Then, about an hour later I had a total meltdown...sobbing into my pillow meltdown.  When they were done, they were going to bring her home so we could finish getting ready for Santa and tuck her in.  Then I get a call from Caroline asking me if she can stay at her dads.  Of course I couldn't tell her no when she was so excited to play with her new toys, but I was crushed.  We had our Christmas Eve traditions that we were going to do...I totally lost it.  I hate last minute changes to plans, and this was by far the worst.  Mostly, I was mad because it should have never happened, she should have been told that she had to come home, but I also understand that her dad wanted time with her too...I just wasn't expecting it, and it really threw me off.  After she played with her toys, she wanted to come home.  Which again gave me more mixed emotions.  By that point I was over it, and then I felt bad that she told her dad she wanted to come home.  What a roller coaster!

On Christmas morning her dad and his fiancee came over bright and early to share in Christmas morning.  Then it was off to my parents for the day!  Let me tell you, the kids had such a great time at their grandparents house!  They all got tons of stuff and had tons of fun playing!  The adults always do a Chinese gift exchange {or whatever you call it} and have such a good time stealing presents from each other!  We do a handmade present for this, so it can get really interesting!

 Opening the back door to see what Santa brought...

 So happy!  She just couldn't wait to jump, so she's out there in the rain!

Dillon

 Blake, Dillon & Caroline {8 years old...yes, all of them!}

 Dillon

 Boog

 Blake showing off his Vex-Con hat!  {He loves Billy the Exterminator!}

 Tracy opening a handmade gift!  {Hubby made a clock out of computer circuit boards}

 Analisa opened a recipe board I made

My daddy opened Analisa's handmade gift!  A milk carton creature!

We ended the day stopping off at the hubby's parents house for more gifts and food!  By the end of the day...we were pooped!!!!  It was a wonderful Christmas and I hope everyone was blessed to be with family & friends!