Three Christmases in 18hrs!

Christmas Eve morning Chris and I spent our anniversary driving to Virginia to visit his mom at Arlington National Cemetery. The weather was terrible when we left Harrisburg but as we drove south it got much dryer. We had been planning this trip for a while so I was really hoping that we didn't have to cancel the trip due to weather. It has been a rough year for him without his mom and I know that I meant a lot to him to be able to "see" her for Christmas.

We were back in the Harrisburg area by early afternoon and decided to go to lunch at Red Lobster to celebrate our 8 years of putting up with each other, I mean 8 years of wonderful, blissful marriage!

The boys had spent the night before at my mom's house so after lunch we went home, picked up some gifts and headed to her house to pick them up and take them to my sisters for the start of the Christmas madness! She always has a Christmas Eve dinner at her house and we exchange gifts with my family.

Here are some picks from Gale's House:

Jason and Grayson opening their Hulk punching hands.

Gale helping baby Galen open his gift from us:

A Leap Frog steering wheel.

The three older boys opening an art gift set from Aunt Britty.

Note the Nerf Tommy Guns in the background and my

brother - in- law drooling over one of them!

Then began Christmas at our house. The boys fell asleep on the way home Christmas Eve, so no fighting about staying up to see Santa! This was the first year that we had all of the gifts wrapped before Christmas Eve. Every year now since Jason's first Christmas we have been up all night wrapping gifts and then setting them up under the tree. It was so nice this year to be asleep by midnight!

Our tree Christmas Eve

We hung their stockings next to their beds this year, so when they woke up that was the first thing they saw. It was nice because it gave me time to wake up and get ready to go downstairs.

Jason dumping his stocking out on his bed

Grayson with his stocking


Jason with his Sonic shirt.

Grayson with his cars Lego's.

Jason opening his Nintendo DS and games.

Then it was off to Chris' brother's house to spend the remainder of Christmas Day with his family. I had to leave early to go to work. :(

I love this pic of Grayson trying to explain something to Chris.

Three of my nieces and Jason playing with Sarah's

paper princess dolls.

My father-in-law handing out the presents

Overall, Christmas was exhausting this year but worth it all. The boys had a great time and loved all the presents they got. Now I just have to figure out where to put it all!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and that the New Year brings you all hope and peace.