Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas!! We sure did :) both of my babies were super sick (they are just now feeling better) but we had a great day. We had a great Christmas Eve too! Nathaniel had to work on Christmas Eve but only for half a day. I made pizza, breadsticks, and salads for supper and we watched a Christmas movie while we ate. We had Christmas boxes for Caden and Isla to open. I wanted to put a movie and popcorn in there but Caden wasn't feeling well and needed to go straight to bed, plus we'd just watched a movie. They each got a new pair of pajamas and a Christmas book to read before bed :) 

"Mommy! Stop taking pictures! I want to open my present!" said Caden.

New book! It's called "Who is Coming to Our House?" It's about Mary and Joseph making their way to the stable and the animals readying the place for the new King.

Who cares about gifts when there are ornaments to be eaten?

I said, "say cheese!" and Caden managed to go cross eyed. I adore this picture.

 New jammies! From Carter's "Nordic collection". Can I buy everything from that collection?! It's all so adorable!

They both went to bed and we dragged all the gifts from their hiding spots and placed them under the tree. Less than half of if those gifts came from us. These children were spoiled rotten this year by a huge family who loves them very much! Nathaniel and I were pretty spoiled this year too :) 

On Christmas morning we got up around 8:00 and had a new kitchen center set up in the living room. It was from us for Caden and Isla. Caden loves that thing way more than I thought he would! I found it for dirt cheap at Kohl's! I'm super proud of my savings haha 

He played with his kitchen center while I worked on breakfast (Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls...AMAZING. I made them the night before so all I had to do was put them in the oven and make the icing.). After that we opened our stockings and Nathaniel read Luke 2 aloud to us. Since it flew over Caden's head I got his children's Bible out and read the simpler version of it to him. 

Then we dug into our gifts :) Nathaniel received a new Buck pocketknife, more Oregon gear than he knows what to do with, a wallet ninja (look it up! It's cool!), a Ducks and Bucs blanket that my mom made, and even more Oregon stuff (magnetic dart board, pens, hoodie, shirts, bobble head, the list goes on!).

I was so incredibly shocked and ecstatic by the Kitchenaid mixer Nathaniel's parents and grandparents got me!! I'm so in love. I would marry it if I could. I also got a gorgeous new pair of boots, several adorable shirts, a lovely bow ring that glistens and sparkles in the light and makes me fall in love with it (and the man who gave it to me) over again every time I wear it. My mom got my sisters and I matching leopard print shirts and matching purses! They're so cute! 

Caden received many toys and books. He got his baby crocodile, many new cars, a really cool wooden pizza puzzle, wooden train set, bean bag, a movie, among other goodies. He's been playing with his gifts non-stop. He loves his new Woody and Buzz toys, his Jake bath toys, he watches tv from his bean bag, and launches his grenade cars all the day long. 

Isla got lots of adorable baby toys and many princess toys, including a princess book (cutest thing ever!) and Cinderella in her carriage. She now has enough hairbows to overflow her basket. She got several cute new outfits, blocks, and a little spiral slidey thing that balls go down (what the heck is it called?? I cannot remember at all!). She LOVES that spiral slidey thing that balls go down (?!?!).

As a family we were so spoiled and absolutely blessed by our loved ones. Thank you Mimi, Papa, Gigi, Pop, Mama Kat, Granddad, Grandma, Grandpa, Grandma Buck, Grandpa Buck, Grandpa Bruns, Aunt Ronda, Zach, Carson, Aunt Courtney, Uncle Robbie, Brielle, Aunt Haley, Uncle John, Uncle Tanner, Uncle Scott, Aunt Holly, Aunt Jenny (and their families), Aunt Chelsie, Uncle Anthony, and anyone who I might have left out!! You all are a big part of our lives and mean so much to us. Thank you!!! 

Look at that goofy smile. I can never get him to take a real picture haha 

What a beaut. I'm in love!

Using my fabulous pink mixer! 

Playing with his pizza puzzle!

Watching Seasame Street christmas that Gigi gave to Caden two years ago. Nathaniel watched this movie when he was a kid and now he gets to watch it with his babies!

Taking a Christmas nap

This is what Isla looked like most of the day. Red, watery eyes, little red snotty nose, mouth open because she couldn't breathe through her nose. She's on outfit #3 of 5 in this picture. She was throwing up all day too :( It was very sad. I hate that she was so sick on her first Christmas.

I really didn't take too many pictures on Christmas Day and I'm ok with that. At first I was a little sad that I didn't get a picture of them opening every single gift but then I remembered that, instead of taking pictures and capturing the perfect moment, I was helping Isla open gifts, stopping Caden from opening all of my gifts, laughing at the joy on Caden's face, relishing in Nathaniel's surprise, enjoying my own surprises. I love taking pictures and being able to look back and fondly remember but sometimes it's just fine to not have a million pictures. 

Our Christmas Dinner was a yummy little ham, scalloped potatoes, rolls, and green beans. Despite the potato emergency (you know, when the potatoes tried to burn the house down),it was all so yummy! 

We ended our Christmas Day by facetiming with Nathaniel's family (we had face timed with my family earlier). We had a great day and I hope you all did too. I hope everyone has a happy New Year's Eve and that 2015 is a year filled with hover boards and happiness!!