Christmas 2016

Christmas is just my absolute favorite holiday as a parent.  It is just so much fun, and I love seeing Christmas through the eyes of my children!  Christmas is always a super busy time for us, but we love every second and try to soak it up as much as possible.  Here's a Christmas recap for 2016:

Christmas Eve

I honestly think that Christmas Eve is my favorite day.  It's already got the magic of Christmas, but it still holds onto all of the anticipation.  I just love it!  

I don't often have time to straighten LL's hair, but we had plenty of time that morning.  Straight hair twins!

Since we had family coming over on both Christmas Eve Christmas Day, both dogs got Christmas baths.  Aspyn loves water and baths, so she was actually pretty happy about the process.

Everyone took a nap on Christmas Eve!

After naps, Gigi and Poppy came over for a big dinner, opening presents, and all of our fun Christmas Eve traditions.

Our yummy meal!  Every Christmas Eve we have the same thing - pork loin with a plum sauce (SO good), mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls.

Christmas Eve is also a special day for me and Matt - it's the day that he proposed to me in 2002!  This year marked 14 years since he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him.

After dinner, we got busy on making cookies for Santa.  Surprisingly, LL wasn't too into helping me, but Cooper was super involved!  

Eating cookies and watching The Grinch (well - waiting for the previews to get over with)

Happy Christmas Eve!

After the movie, we put out a cookie and milk for Santa.

LL's sweet note.

Then we went outside and put out the reindeer food to help them find out house!

A really nice surprise this year was LL and Cooper reading The Night Before Christmas to me and Matt!  It was so precious!

Santa came!!

Christmas Day

Both kids were up super early (5:30!) and ready to go!

Here's a video of them coming out and seeing what Santa left them.  I just love their sweet faces. 

PJ Masks!

We also started a new tradition last year of making Rudolph pancakes for breakfast!

While I really wanted some pancakes, I was trying to be good and just eat some yogurt and strawberries.

Later that morning (which is a relative term when you start the day at 5:30), Oma and Opa came over for a big Christmas lunch and more presents!

The kids were so excited about their Power Ranger dress up!

Christmas lunch: ham, mac n cheese, green beans, and homemade bread!

After nap time, we headed to Grammy and Pop's house for the last round of Christmas.  

The kids sat with Pop while he read the Christmas story.

And then the red Power Ranger came to help.  :)

We always have a big breakfast-for-Christmas-dinner at Grammy and Pop's.  Grammy found these cute Christmas crackers that come with fun little surprises and paper crowns in them.  Everyone wore their crown while we ate - it was a pretty funny sight.

Matt and Pop always get a picture together on Christmas.

Merry Christmas!

I told Matt, this was a low-key Christmas as far as gifts go.  The kids still got a lot, don't get me wrong, but there were no huge gifts (like when we've done power wheels or Disney), but I actually just loved having a "normal" Christmas with no huge surprises.  You can look back at our past Christmases here:
2015
2014
2013
2012
2010
2009