Our Family: Christmas Day 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(I will write more about our New Years later...Just catching up on Christmas)

This year we decided to sleep at our house Christmas eve
to ensure we all got some quality sleep...

I would like to say this happened but it sure didn't...
Todd and Ethan have colds and therefore

if I was not up with one I was up with the other.

Our plan was to get over to my parents bright and early in the morning...

Before leaving for my parents we noticed that

Santa stopped by our house and put a toy back hoe
and kinder surprise in Ethan's stocking...

Ethan was very interested in the chocolate and wasn't really
interested in the mini computer that Santa also left for him...
He only wanted the chocolate...
To avoid a melt down he got the chocolate!

We managed to get over to my parents by 8:30am to a very anxious Jessica and Markus...

They were waiting for us and very ready to get at the stockings and presents...
"Santa came, he really came" was what I heard as I entered my parents home!

Santa as per usual filled stockings for our family at my parents...
How thoughtful!

Needless to say our family got spoiled by Santa!

This year instead of doing a huge brunch we had a low key one...

Help yourself to cereal, muffins, eggs and fruit...

Low key is much better now with all the kids around...

I took a nap with Ethan after brunch, then with Todd...

Nate went home to take the dogs to RMC for a run around while

the rest of the family napped, watched movies and played with toys...

Markus got a remote control helicopter from his dad

that he and his dad went outside to play with.

My grandma was over by 3ish and our other company started to arrive by 4:30ish...

We always have Christmas dinner and spend the evening on the 25th

with my dad's side of the family...This year we had 25 people!
I don't get a chance to see my aunts, uncles and cousins as much anymore,
so I really look forward to catching up with everyone...

A full house just how it should be!

Christmas festivities are so much different now with 2 kids...

It didn't help that my children are under the weather...

It feels like they have been sick all winter...

Toddy was just not himself with all the people around...

He wouldn't let me put him down nor would he go to anyone else...

So I didn't really get a chance to sit down for Christmas dinner...

But that is OK because I am a mom and that comes with the territory...

The evening always ends with the annual

Boland Family Yuker Tournament...

We are hard core yuker players...

I think I learned to play when I was like 7 years old...

I have to say the prizes at Christmas are pretty generous
thanks to my uncles and dad...

This year I didn't do so well but I got awarded the honest player award

(It's basically a pity award for one of the last place finishers)...

I was more than happy to accept it as it was a $20 movie card!

Although we decorated our house on Nov 2, and soaked up all that Christmas has to offer,
it still seemed like it went by in a flash...
I have to say I really enjoyed this particular Christmas...
I loved having Nate off which allowed us to have so much family time,
I loved watching Christmas movies this year,
Starbucks and looking at the Christmas lights around town,
enjoying family traditions and creating more!

Christmas is truly my most favorite holiday and even though I was very spoiled...

Without a doubt my most precious and sacred gifts are

my faith, my two beautiful boys,

my love, and my family and friends!

Until next year Christmas!

(Here are a few pictures I snapped from our Christmas Day)