Our Christmas 2011

Christmas was great this year!  We starting celebrating Thursday and didn't stop until 8pm Sunday.  I know, we're party animals and we get SUPER excited about the birth of Jesus.

I admire those that know how to give only the highlights in their blogs and I always feel like mine are way too wordy, so here goes the condensed version of our Christmas....

Thursday, we hosted our friend, Jeremy over for dinner and he spoiled the kids (and us!) with gifts and we had great fun.  We ate, opened presents and watched Home Alone 2.  (Side note:  I've seen this no less than 675 times since Thanksgiving and Sienna knows every.single.word.  True story.)

Jeremy got them a cheese head - maybe we can be packers fans???

Friday we hosted Scott's side of the family at our house for apps, desserts and drinks.  We had about 17 appetizers (true story, too) and soooo much fun.  We played Mad Gab and Catch Phrase and watched a slideshow of old pictures of their family.  Good times.

Anyone else have kids in Halloween costumes for Christmas pictures?  No?

Annie is so cute.

Intense game of Mad Gab.

Saturday we headed over to Reston Town Center in the morning to catch a glimpse of the gingerbread houses/train table at the Hyatt (always a kid favorite) and then on to my parents for naps and to watch the Redskins lose....again. 

That evening my parents hosted our friends, Craig and Liz (along with the rest of our family) at their house for the Feast of the 7 fishes....an Italian Christmas Eve tradition.  I'm pretty sure my Grandmother and Mom cooked at least 8 or 9 fishes, but who's counting??  ;) 

The crew at dinner.

We caught someone "tebowing."

My nephew, Christopher and I.

Mama and I.

Father/Daughter cuteness

Vicki and I.

Christmas morning Sienna woke up first at 6AM!  (She's usually a late sleeper!) We had to wake the boys at 645 and then we were downstairs in a flash to FIRST sing happy birthday to Jesus.  I started this last year in an effort to make sure the kids learn about the true meaning of Christmas.  It's not about Santa or the gifts under the tree...we will always first acknowledge His birth.  After the singing and blowing out the candle on the cupcake, we then move on to presents.  :)  The big gifts this year were an iPod and blender for Sienna, a train table for the boys and a bike for Hudson.  Everyone was happy and loving life.  Sienna and I hit up mass at 8:30 and it was so wonderful to get to experience that with just her.  She's very into learning about God, Jesus and the Bible and is so proud of the fact that she knows the "Our Father," that she practically screamed it during mass.  I loved every second of it.  After Mass, we welcomed Scott's parents for more gifts and love and as usual, they were very generous.  Scott finally got the whittling kit he has been asking for for about 3 years (yes, you read that right..)  It was such a great morning.

Train table was a hit.

New bike for Hudsy!

Someone is excited for wac-a-mole.

New iPod shuffle.

And a blender!

Someone had to go to timeout on Christmas.  And then proceeded to put on Sienna's shoes.

Christmas afternoon after naps, we headed back to Sterling for MORE gifts and MORE food.  My parents are always sooooo generous with us and this year was no different.  They really do so much for us that presents don't seem necessary - although, I'm not running to the store to return my Kindle Fire.  ;)  Thanks, Mom and Dad!!!!!  We ate yummy ravioli's, meatballs and pizzelles till we were about to burst and headed home to a house that I can barely recognize.  :)

Such a blessed Christmas holiday!  I'm sooooo ready for 2012 though....bring it.