It is nearly May 2013 and I am just getting around to posting these pictures from last December. Cole, mentioned yesterday how he always likes when June comes around because that means we are halfway to the next Christmas season. Hopefully this year I will stay more current with the pics.
Christmas 2012 was the perfect day. Both Jetta and Ashton are at the age when they get really excited and interested in the festivities. We continued our tradition of Mrs. Claus dropping of a month worth of children Christmas stories with hot chocolate packets and chocolate treats in a box on our doorstep. We try to read one or two of the books out of the box each night throughout the month. Next year I'm going to have to budget for some books though, because so far I've been able to sneak library books in but I think Ashton will start catching on to that.
Other traditions include a visit from their favorite Elf delivering adorable pajamas near Christmas Eve. Their faces light up as they scurry to open their gift. Their Grandma's give them personalized tree decorations which we love to pull out each year and reminisce when we decorate the tree. This year Cole was gone most nights studying and working on his MBA so we ended up having to put up the tree and decorate it without him. It was sad to not have him home with us. I called him while we were doing it, and both of us were bummed out that he was missing out, but overall it worked out because now after all of his hard work and discipline he finished his MBA.
Our budget was tighter this year with school and all but we made things work. We had several presents in our storage after saving gifts we had bought them previously and saved because they either got plenty from extended family for a birthday or we overspent for a birthday and didn't feel they needed quite that much. Saving the gifts really paid off for us this year. Jetta's stash other than her bike was all in our storage. Ashton, we bought several inexpensive games and then one big Lego gift which thrilled him. I even pulled off getting a few of his gifts from the second hand store again. Cole and I kept things light for our gifts to each other and it turned out perfect.
The best part of the whole Holiday was seeing and spending more time with Cole. He worked really hard leading up to Christmas Eve so we could have him home for a few days without the stress of school. We relaxed, and got to eat a lot of delicious food.
Acee
Apparently Cole has a knack for finding things and I have a knack for losing things because Cole found these maternity shirts in our laundry room storage that still had the price tag on from two years ago that I bought when I was expecting with Jetta. He wrapped them up, and when I opened them my first response was, "wow, you are good at picking out my colors Cole." He obviously just busted up laughing. I had totally forgot I bought them years before. It gave us quite a laugh.
Ashton's favorite gift, Lego's.
Cole's family tradition breakfast casserole and monkey bread.... so delicious.
One of the traditions I grew up with christmas Capn Crunch cereal.
Cole relaxing after Santa finished his work Christmas Eve.
"The perfect Christmas tree? All Christmas trees are perfect!" - Charles N. Barnard.
Jetta's Gifts
Ashton's Gifts
Cole making me laugh Christmas Eve. Love him!
Ashton Christmas Morning. Still waking up.
Jetta Christmas Morning.
Jetta's favorite gift initially was that box of Goldfish she's holding. She was oblivious to most everything around her until the box was empty.
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