All Things Christmas

What an exciting Christmas we’ve had. Like I blogged about earlier this month, Dave and I really wanted to start up some of our own Christmas traditions this year. Cori and I finished up our Truth in the Tinsel Advent Calendar. She truly enjoyed reading her bible verses and making an ornament each day. I think she will like it even more next year!

We began our Christmas Eve morning making Gingerbread houses. It was a blast! My mom, sister, brother, Dave, and Cori & I together as a team, each made a house. Check out our supplies…

 

and a very excited little girl…

 

Here is the finished product.

 

Cori and I made the second one on the left. Most original in my opinion! :)

 

Then we moved right into baking a birthday cake for Jesus. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to bake a cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve. It’s something that I’ve talked about with Dave ever since we were dating. I always thought it would be so special to bake that cake with my kids each year and celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. It was just as special as I’d hoped!

 

We spent Christmas in Tampa this year as we have every year since I can remember. It’s been tradition that we do Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with Dave’s family. It works out nicely that way. The girls got to wear some very special smocked dresses on Christmas Eve this year. A friend of mine had her mom make them for the girls and they are TOO cute! I loved seeing them in those dresses!

 

Cori wasn’t being super cooperative during family pictures so Dave started trying to make her laugh. She thoroughly enjoyed it! HA!

 

Then we moved on to opening up presents. In my family we always opened all our gifts on Christmas Eve and then the only presents we got on Christmas Day were Santa gifts. Dave’s family does ALL their presents on Christmas Day. It’s so funny to me how different every family does their Christmas. I guess it’s what makes it special to that particular family. So, to keep tradition alive, the girls opened their gifts on Christmas Eve with my family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a full day with my family, we packed up and headed over to Dave’s parents house to sleep so the girls could wake up to Christmas morning over there. It’s funny how I never seem to snap many pictures of Christmas morning at the Smith House. I think it’s because there are so many people and it’s just hard to get everyone in the same place at the same time. We literally opened presents up in sections. A few minutes here and a few minutes there. The best Christmas present of all was the surprise visit from Casey and Rebecca. Everyone knew they were coming except for Dave’s dad. He had tears in his eyes when he opened the front door and saw them standing there! It was so nice having everyone together on Christmas!

 

Finley and Jona opening up their matching soccer balls!

 

Cori running through the house delivering presents to people! She gave most of them to me even though they weren’t all actually for me! Ha! I LOVE my girl!

 

We had a great Christmas, but I’m glad to be home! We spent a full week in Tampa visiting with family. I know my girls enjoyed their time with their grandparents and sweet cousins. We took some precious pictures of the cousins together and I’ll post those soon. I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!