Thankful for Christmas Eve

We've spent Christmas Eve at my Uncle Bob and Aunt Virginia's since we've lived in California, almost 30 years.  This year right before Thanksgiving my Aunt got very sick and was in the hospital for over a week.  She was sent home with medication and an oxygen tank.  My Mom and I were going out to their house a couple of times a week to help Uncle Bob keep the house clean, laundry done, and of course decorate for the holidays (which we do every year).  As Christmas got closer there was a little talk of not having Christmas Eve.  We promised to take on the responsibility of getting everything ready so that we could continue this tradition.  When Taylor got to town we went over and did a deeper clean and wrapped presents.  My Mom and her good friend Carrie and us girls went over early to do any last minute things and Mom helped Aunti Gin get all dolled up for the night.  She looked so great and seemed to feel good too.  Uncle Bob still cooked some of the dinner, but we were just thankful that Christmas Eve we could all be together. 

 

The little kids are getting so big (one in high school now!), but we hope to keep this family tradition alive for all of them. 

 

At the end of the evening Garrett and Gannon spread their reindeer food around and left the cookies and milk out of Santa and were off to sleep.

 

Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma

My grandparents from Oregon are always down at my Dad's for Christmas so we got together on the 23rd to celebrate.  Dad always makes a yummy dinner and the boys love hanging out.  Of course we all get spoiled with gifts.  Garrett loved his over the door basketball hoop and Gannon loves his new scooter.  It seems like life is always crazy busy, but when we do get to Modesto to visit it is always so much fun.  Oh, the Niners were playing too so the guys we really upset that we didn't have enough room for everyone at the table and they had to eat while watching the game!  ha ha

Final Preschool Program

It's hard to believe that this is our final year of having a boy in preschool.  Excited and sad all in one.  Gannon loves his Montessori school (so did Garrett) and loves when we get to visit.  He and his friends learned 5 or 6 songs to perform for all the families.  Gannon was so animated while singing them it was cute.  He is with his teacher Ms. Anne who we will miss next year.

 

Toy Drive Party

Gannon's friend from preschool had a toy drive for the Toys 4 Tots.  His dad works for the fire department and in effort to teach giving they started this annual party last year.  I told Gannon we were going to a party at Braden's house and he was super confused on why we weren't wrapping the present.  I tried to explain that the gift was a kid that may not get presents under their tree.  Still confused!  As we pulled up and walked up to the door Gannon said, "does this kid not have toys?"  Still confused! 

 

It was a fun party for the kids to get together and play and collect lots of toys to give.  The fire truck came by to pick up all the toys and right as the kids got all lined up to put their gifts in the bucket the truck got a call...just kidding they'll be right back!  Round 2 of the fire truck arrival was real.  The kids put all their gifts in the donation bucket and climbed on the truck for a bit. 

 

Teaching the gift of giving! 

 

By Gannon's Request

On one of the shows Gannon watches they made gingerbread houses so he'd been asking to make some.  While at the store I passed by them and knew he'd be a happy kid if I brought this project home.  I was right...he was very excited to put his house together.  Garrett was very upset that part of his gingerbread was broken and pouted for a minute, but when he saw that the frosting hid and fixed the broken piece he was fine.  They had tons of fun putting all the little candy pieces and frosting ALL over the gingerbread houses.  They really wanted to eat them, but we convinced them that we should keep them together for display. 

 

 

Ugly Sweater Party

I love that my husband is fully willing to be crazy for the sake of some entertainment and shock factor.  I often browse Pinterest at night before bed and found this "sweater" and made a mental note that if we got invited to any ugly sweater parties this would be a great one.  Dave was very excited to go to his colleagues party in his sweater!  I bought a red sweater at Goodwill and cut one side off, glued a few Christmas things on it and then the shaving started.  It was seriously almost a fight with the amount of times I had to draw the outline so Dave knew where to shave, I had to draw it at least 15 times.  It was TOTALLY worth it.  He won the ugly sweater contest and strutted around the party proud!

 

First Lost Tooth

Garrett has had a loose tooth since September and it FINALLY feel out!  He didn't seem to play with it much which could be part of the reason it took so long to fall out.  We thought he lose it before we went to DC.  We were upstairs in the morning and he was downstairs and started yelling to us that his tooth fell out.  He was SO excited and it didn't even bleed.  Grandma Nancy had made him a tooth fairy pillow so he was sure to put it by his pillow when he went to sleep.  The tooth fairy came and left behind $2 and lots of fairy dust in her trail.  Garrett was even more excited to see that Sparky left him a note about losing his first tooth!