Christmas at Mem's :-)

Just before dinner time on Christmas Day - we arrived at Mem's house. Whew! We were happy to just relax for the evening!

Lots of coziness to wrap up our Christmas day - before the fun would ramp up again the next day with the group at Mem's house!

The girls were watching Mary Poppins (one of their new favorite movies)....literally piled on top of Mem. :-)

Little Speedo was feeling under the weather....he is getting to be quite an elderly little kitty

But he decided to join the group - can you see him tucked up next to Mem?

Late at night, Jeff, Jen, Tess and Abbey arrived - so we got to play with little cousins when we woke up!

We had more gift opening (with Drake and Grandma Betty, too!)

Relaxing together

And ended the day with game playing - teaching Taylor how to play Guess Who!

It was another really good day with family!

Christmas Day

Christmas morning, we were at our own home. :-)

I snuck out for a run before the world was awake (and assumed the girls would sleep in a bit because they got to bed late the night before). After I got back, the first person to stir was Camryn.

(My Instagram post for that morning...new running pants for my run, and little Camryn up early :-)

She sat out with me for a while, watching Charlie Brown Christmas, waiting patiently for Taylor to wake up, so she could open her stocking.

Once everyone was awake - it was stocking time!

Bapa, Gaga, Papa, and Uncle Scott were there for breakfast and present opening, too!

Present opening was busy and fun, with lots of squeals from the girls. :-)

Fun new Ty stuffed animals from Uncle Scott!

For lunch, we headed to Freedom Village to eat brunch at Gaga and Papa's. Such good food! And their Christmas tree in the lobby is always so pretty. :-)

After lunch, we got the (tired) girls home...and Camryn really needed a nap, but she wanted to start the journey to Mem's house as soon as possible! So we did baths, packed, cleaned a bit, and then got back in the car to journey down to Battle Creek!
 Camryn with her new toys - sleepy, but happy to be heading to Mem's!

Next up - Battle Creek Christmas celebrations!

Christmas Eve 2015

This will be the first of a few "Christmas" posts! We had quite a few family celebrations for Christmas this year...and it all started on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve morning, I headed to the gym, we did some last minute Christmas shopping, and then got ready to head to the Christmas Eve service at church at 2. Taylor remembered the melted wax that touched her finger last year during the candle lighting, and was not a fan of that part of the service, but other than that, it was a really nice way to start the holiday.

Right after church, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa Slagh's house for our gathering with Ryan's family.

The girls were very excited!

We, unfortunately, were busy having fun - and got very few pictures!

The tree was slightly filled with gifts ....see the background of this picture with Camryn and Annie watching a Christmas show

Aunt Jan did get the traditional "boys" picture (this is a picture of the copy she gave us). The boys have changed a bit from my first Christmas with the family - ten years ago!

And the families this year. :-) So many kids now!

Present opening was a BUSY event....

Taylor got the guidebook to the "Elements of Harmony" - a My Little Pony book

and Sweet Apple Acres (another MLP item)

Little animated animals

A Frozen boom box

And Camryn got an Elsa dress that lights up and sings a song :-)

But of course, after all the gifts are open, what do the girls want to sit and play with? Adam and Owen's new toy phones. :)