I will admit that my picture taking this holiday was less than stellar. I had my camera everywhere, I just never brought it out. Add to that the excessive amount of presents I had to open, the camera just didn't get used much.
Our holiday began Christmas weekend with a party at Hayners on Christmas Eve Eve. This get together, with my mom's siblings & families, epitomizes Christmas to me. It has became a tradition as a pizza and beer party. It's very informal but it doesn't quite feel like Christmas until I can celebrate with these people.
Good looking bunch, huh? All my cousins and some husbands and fiances thrown into the mix.
After yummy Marios pizza and Joe's wings (amazing combo!), we spent hours opening gifts. See, we are that family that opens gifts one by one. It's my favorite tradition. Joe and I had to cut out early (10:30pm!) to get the munchkin to bed but it was a great start to our whirlwind holiday weekend. The party may have ended at 1am when all the drunkards left for bed. Party animals!
Christmas Eve morning was very chill. We slept in and then headed to DQ for an impromptu lunch get-together with our friends. (We missed you, Schultas!) Once again, B was spoiled with gifts and we had a good visit with some of our favorites. Our friends are just as much family to us as our family so we had to make time for a visit.
Christmas Eve night is spent with just my parents, sisters and our men. Funny story: We planned on going to mass before dinner (my parents were going to stay back and cook) so we get ready and drive into town. We pull into the parking lot (30 minutes before it started, mind you.) and see not a parking space in sight. Finally, we park blocks away and hightail it in. Allyson opens the door to find the church completely packed with the back vestibule standing room only. Cue us turning around and heading back home with plans to go to another service. No way were we dealing with that madness. It wasn't a total waste though since B slept for the whole ride. This was him when we got home.
Back to the night: My parents make dinner (Have I mentioned my dad is the best cook?) and then we get to gifts. Like the night prior, we circle around the living room and open one by one. My kid was here while I opened his gifts.
Again, we slept in Christmas morning before heading to my MILs. Can I just say that I love that my kid sleeps until 9. I hope that never changes. We didn't do Santa this year but I can imagine from here on out Barrett will not be so kind to his parents on Christmas morning. We spent the day hanging with Joe's immediate family before heading to the 86th annual Gschwedntner Christmas. I think we counted 96 people in attendence with B being the youngest. He's a lucky boy who gets to grow up with lots of family members. We wrapped up a very fun holiday weekend and headed back home the next morning.
New Years weekend, we celebrated the holidays with more of Joe's family. New Years Eve Day was spent at the Pullium's with Joe's maternal family. Bubba is so loved on by everyone especially his boy cousins. It's so crazy to see them playing with him especially since they were only 1-3 years old when I joined the family. It seems like yesterday and I know Barrett will be there before we know it.
New Years Day, we got together with Joe's paternal family for dinner but unfortunately had to drive home home that night so we didn't get to visit as much as we would like. It was a whirlwind year with lots of family time. I know to most it may seem exhausting but I honestly can't imagine it any different. This is what the holidays are like and I'm just greatful we have so many fantastic people to celebrate with.
I'd say B had quite the successful First Christmas!
We do gifts one at a time as well. I think it's so fun!
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