about our Christmas (all three of them!)

It's hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone. I tried to enjoy every minute of this Christmas because I know it won't be the same ever again. In a good way though!

Aaron and I started the Christmas fun on Christmas Eve. We headed out with all of our wrapped gifts for everyone in tow (as not to worry with them the next day).

Stoplight selfie. Penny is hiding in the back seat with all the presents. She's not a big fan of the car.

Our first stop was the Bauer household. We put our presents under the tree that was already overflowing with gifts. Then we had breakfast with Aaron's older brother and his family (which includes our adorable niece and nephew), his younger brother, and his mom. Dad had to work, unfortunately.

We spent the morning and early afternoon with them, and we enjoyed some rare quality time with Samuel and London (nephew and niece). Since we live way up in Wake Forest and they live way down in Fuquay, it's about an hour drive. We usually only see them at church on the weekends.

London and Penny. 

Penny and her "cousin," Bear. She's not so sure about him still...his head is the size of half of her body.

Later in the afternoon we packed up again and headed to downtown Raleigh for Christmas Eve dinner with my family. 

Great view driving in.

My parents and my brother and future sis-in-law were there with a delicious smelling ham in the oven. We watched Jingle All the Way while dinner was finishing up and then ate way too much food.

Since Sarah wasn't going to be able to be there the next morning, she got to open her gifts and we all opened ours from her and Tyler. Tyler and Sarah know us so well. A Disney Store gift card for Aaron and a Target gift card for me (already long gone). Plus an "I have the best uncle" onesie for Graeme and some adorable socks.

Sidenote:  It's more fun to open gifts for Graeme than my own gifts! I can't wait until he can semi-help open his own gifts next year!

Aaron and I left to go home around 8pm so we could complete our Christmas Eve tradition of watching A Christmas Story (which I ALMOST stayed awake entirely for).


Like I said yesterday, I was awake at the ridiculous hour of 4am on Christmas morning. Graeme woke up too, and then it was hopeless to go back to sleep. His kicks and jabs amused me for about an hour, and then Aaron woke up.

We start our Christmas morning early anyway because we have a tight schedule to keep. Around 5:30am we headed downstairs. After the coffee was made (and a quick breakfast snack for me and Graeme since we were starving), we sat down for my favorite part of the day:  reading the Christmas story together. We've started reading it from The Jesus Storybook Bible every year. If you've never read The Jesus Storybook Bible, do it. Do it. It's amazing. I cry all the tears. Even when I'm not pregnant.

We opened stockings next and then Penny got to open her gift that she's been smelling all week under the tree. She loves Christmas too. Aaron spoiled me rotten per usual. Guys, you can always win with jewelry. Always. And it doesn't have to be "real." Jewelry, chocolate, and a full length mirror were my wonderful Christmas presents.

I think I did pretty well too for him. An iPad stand, notebooks, journals, pens, and Disney trinkets.

We briefly enjoyed our gifts and our Christmas tree, and then it was time to get ready to head out the door. At 7:30am, we left and enjoyed an empty Capital Boulevard all the way downtown to my parents'.

Penny was nuts for whatever she could smell under the Christmas tree. She waited very impatiently for the coffee to be made and the Christmas story to be read again.

Lots of Penny pictures, but she's still our "baby" for now. Next year, it will be a different story!

After she got to open one of her gifts to keep her occupied, we all took turns opening the bajillions of gifts. My parents got me the majority of the keys for my long-awaited skeleton key wall. Then they came to hang them a couple days later.

They also got us some more fun things for Graeme's room which I am not posting pictures of yet!

We had our traditional monkey bread, bacon, and eggs (no eggs for me) breakfast after gifts, and then Aaron and I hopped back in the car around 10:15am to make the drive to Willow Spring and the Bauer family.

Our third Christmas within a 4 hour span began. That one of course is much more lively with seven adults, two little kids, and a curious Penny dog. Gifts were here and there and everywhere, but we tried to take note of everyone's cool stuff and enjoy watching Samuel and London open all of their fun things.

My in-laws contributed to my key wall, as well as getting me a mirror that I've been wanting for next to our front door.

My dad and Aaron hung this bad boy up the day after Christmas.

They also surprised me and my sister-in-law with necklaces that have a "B" pendant as well as our kids names on a pendant. I love my little "Graeme" pendant necklace.

Penny finally wore herself out enough that we could get her to sit still to put her Santa hat on for a picture. She just loves it. Not.

We enjoyed a delicious lasagna lunch and an hour of relaxing before we concluded our Christmas day with a Christmas day movie. Aaron's family, my family, and Sarah's family all met up to see Saving Mr. Banks. It was amazing. 

Then, with full stomachs, a full trunk, and full hearts (just throwing some corny sentiment in), we picked up a worn out Penny from her Gigi's and headed home.

Twelve hours later, we were sitting back in front of our Christmas tree and reminiscing about what a wonderful Christmas day it had been. We have so much to be thankful for, and most of all, we are thankful for our little super hero that will be here in no time at all!

We slept soundly that night, and then didn't waste anytime the next day. Call me crazy, but Christmas has been up around this house since mid-November, and I am ready for my house to be back to "normal" after Christmas day. 

We said goodbye to the last remnants of Christmas 2013 and look forward even more to next year!