The beautiful days leading up to Christmas....

Good, warm, happy memories being made for them......someday in the future these are times I will wish I could live all over again.

 We had what I called a "Christmas Movie Megaplex Party".  Lots of food, great people, jammies, and beloved Christmas movies playing all over the house.  I am still so bugged that I forgot to get out my camera until the end of the night but at least I still got a few photos.

 Mom, Dad, and Alex.  Erin had to work and I was so happy that he brought the kids and came anyway.  I think Alex is one of the most grounded and pleasant people ever.....such a wonderful brother-in-law.

 An adorable picture of Granny and her little grandkids

 Jason and our bud Ryan doing their best bromance pose

 Bryan and Bridgette and their adorable smiles.....such a cute couple.

 Ryan and Stephanie and their girls......our across the street neighbors and great friends.  Awesome people and we are often blessed to enjoy the benefit of Steph's mad cooking skills and Ryan's vehicle expertise....they are so good to us and tons of fun.  I love Ryan's intense drink pouring face.

 Grady decided to bring every pillow he could find and build his own "house".  He then happily burrowed into it.

 Relaxed Jason visiting in the living room as the party wound down

 Luke, Austin, and Jerrett playing some xbox in the playroom.....I got no pictures of our Alexi and her cute kids, Grandpa Dean, sweet Bailey and I hate it. :( boo

 Little Camden playing with all the Thomas tracks and listening to the cartoon Grinch movie....we had five movies playing upstairs and one downstairs....it was fun

 Jason, Mom, and Dad......I'm so thankful for family and friends who will humor me and come over for a little dorky party! :)

 Grandpa Dean was sick and wasn't going to be able to come over on Christmas so Granny came over on Christmas Eve to open a few presents with us.  

 Jason's present from Granny and Grandpa Dean was wrapped in this oatmeal box but he was just as excited that it might actually be oatmeal. :)

 Austin showing off his cool wooden fish puzzle 

 I saw these cute s'mores on a stick on pinterest and had to make them for Christmas Eve.....they were pretty cute and my kids thought they were awesome.

 Grady has always been pretty much obsessed with this singing/dancing pooh plush at my Mom and Dad's house.

 Grandma has lots of darling Christmas books and the boys love to dive in.

 Grady got this Percy light from Granny and he carried it everywhere with him for a good week afterwards. 

 Christmas Eve kids

 Blessed Fondue Night......we LOVE it!

 Halle and Grady getting a ride from Uncle Lee and Rhetik playing with the cute nativity blocks.

 I think Grady got excited!

 Jerrett, Riker, and Austin playing mario

 Halle and Rhetik playing with the pretty foot massager that all the kids love.

 After a fun fondue night, we went to walk around the Roy lights.

 The big (blurry) waving snowman that the kids love

I desperately wished for some snow but it was still a great Christmas Eve!

**UPDATE**

Granny emailed me these cute pictures from our party and I loved them so much I had to add them in.

 Austin, Jason, & Bryan playing games in the playroom

 Cute girls alert!  Brinklee, Hallie, Maddie, Bailey, & Halle - love em! What a bunch of cuties!

Grady getting in some rambunctious snuggles with his cousins Brinklee, Bailey, & Halle.

The Details of Christmas

I'm a sucker for all the little details of Christmas time.  It's not enough for me to put up a tree and call it good.  I love to see little dashes of Christmas all through the house and truly they make me so happy.  I think  I have always been that way.  As a child I wasn't just excited for presents and Santa Claus....I remember going to bed at night and smiling at the glow in my bedroom window from the Christmas lights on the exterior of the house.  Now as I tuck my kids into bed.....the lights in the eves of roof outside twinkle just outside their window and I feel like I'm little again. Excited little warm fuzzies.  Christmas and all it's little details make me feel GOOD.   

 Grady's room.  He loved his "Christmas House" and I even heard him singing "jingle bells" once in the night....at about 3am.  It was hilarious.  I hope when my kids are older they will see a little Christmas tree and have a flood of warm memories reminding them of the little trees they had in their bedrooms.

 Austin and Jerrett's tree....complete with a few new Santa ornaments that Austin made this year.  Truly, I think falling asleep to the glow from a little Christmas tree is heavenly and happily, my little boys agree.

 He had hoped to do more but the kids still loved the effort that Jason put into their "Christmas House"

 Their new little Christmas pillows from Santa at Granny's Christmas party.....so cute!

 A little tree outside the kids bathroom.....it makes such a charming little nightlight in the middle of the night.

 I LOVE the peace of a Nativity set!

 My living room tree that I get to decorate however I want.....making it's second appearance this year and I still completely adore the brown and gold.

 Glittery pinecones spread all over the place?  Yes, please.

 I insisted upon this weird little family of sparkly snowmen in their detailed sweaters not long after Jason and I got married.  Some guy was selling them in the mall and for some reason I just felt like I would die if I didn't have the whole set.  Jason thought I was so weird and in hindsight......they are kinda strange but they still make us both smile and I WILL put them out every year.

 A cheap Wal-Mart wreath from a few years ago.....as previously mentioned, I love me some pinecones.

 I used to hate having things on the fridge and thought it was too cluttered but in recent years I have discovered that I LOVE Christmas cards and I must see them every day for the entire season.....seeing a fridge full of cards just feels like LOVE.

 I love a little potted poinsettia this time of year and I am thankful that I don't feel obligated to try and keep it alive for more than 4-6 weeks. :)

 I love all the sentimental ornaments that tell a story of years gone by.  Also, for some unknown reason, I adore little glittery churches on a Christmas tree.  I got these last year and they already have achieved the status of "SIMPLY CANNOT DO WITHOUT"

 Daytime Christmas house.  My husband rocks.  I throw an armful of wreaths at him and beg him to hang them on my windows and he rolls his eyes at me.....and reaches for the ladder.  My little wreaths helped me deal with the reality of a weird brown Christmas.

Cheap little advent calendars:  cheap, crappy little chocolates but the same type of vintage Santa scene as when I was little so, of course, I love them.  As I also love chubby little hands grasping to open the next little window.

--Oh yes, my Christmas Freak Flag is Flying HIGH--