Christmas Day

I am trying really hard to get the blog updated and so glad that I finally made it to Christmas Day!  What a special special day....it is definitely my favorite day of the year!  First of all, we were so thankful to have Drew with us.  With his new profession, my eyes have been opened more to the realization that not everyone gets to be off work on Christmas Day- so we were so thankful he was with us!  We got Hank out of bed first and took him into Chase's room so we could sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and blow out the candles on the cake that we made for Him.

Licking the candles is always important :)

Chase and Hank were so excited to see all what Santa got them!  Chase LOVED his tool bench!

And his Spiderman, of course....all he asked Santa for was Spiderman, Batman, Superman, and Diego...and he was so happy that he got them all!

Hank's face cracks me up in this picture!

Santa brought both of them a firetruck pop-up tent...they had so much fun playing in it together!

Hank was so excited about his riding toy that Santa brought him!

Drew and I started a tradition Chase's first Christmas where we each get each child a book from us every Christmas.  This year Drew gave the boys "I've Been Working on the Railroad" because that is their favorite song that he sings to them (and Pops used to sing it to Drew :)  I got them "The Kissing Hand", because it is just such a sweet book.  The boys loved their books and hopefully they will be special to them in years to come.

After we finished Christmas at our house, we headed over to Mama Zo and Pops' house!  Here we are all lined up on the steps youngest to oldest....Clay seems to keep getting pushed back each year!

Hank getting some tough love from his brother...he has gotten used to it :)

The grandsons lined up youngest to oldest...

Our little family....

Mama Zo and Pops with their boys!

Here is Chase sporting the camo that U-dub gave him...he was pretty excited!

Pops and Mama Zo gave the boys sleeping bags and little therma rests...they were so cute!  Now we just need to plan a camping trip!

We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus again at Pops and Mama Zo's house...Chase was happy to get to blow the candle out again...

We had a great time celebrating Christmas with everyone at Pops and Mama Zo's house!  We were also so excited to find out that Chase and Hank will be getting a new cousin in August and George is going to be a big brother!  We are so excited!  And, since I have been such a procrastinator with the blog, we already know that they are having a girl!  Her name will be "Nan" and we cannot wait to meet her!

After leaving Pops and Mama Zo's house, we headed on over to Peg-P and Gran's house to have Christmas with my family.  Julie, Clay, and George gave Chase Candyland, so he and Drew had fun playing that when we got there.  This was Chase's first time to play and he did pretty well.  However, when he realized that Drew was about to beat him...he decided that he and Drew needed to trade places (I am ashamed to say he may have gotten those skills from his Mama :)

Sweet little Hank...I love that smile!

Hank had fun playing with Peg-P!

Chase and Alex had fun being superheros!

We were so excited to have baby Jackson here for his first Christmas!  Chase loves him!

Chase and Alex had fun playing in the firetruck tent that Santa gave Chase and Hank!

Hank and Gran :)

We had such a great Christmas and we are so blessed to have such wonderful families.  Christmas day is always pretty busy for us, but I could not be more thankful for that.  I am so thankful that we have everyone right here and we get to see everyone on Christmas.  We are truly blessed!

More Christmas Fun!

We also went to Zoolight Safari over the holidays and had a great time!  It was pretty cold, but not too cold, so that was nice!  Sweet Hank slept through the first half....

Here is Drew and Chase on the train....

Hank woke up on the train....I thought they looked cute in the stroller together.  And, Luke the elf
got to come with us....that is who Chase is holding :)

Here is Chase and Daddy on the carousel....Chase is getting to be such a big boy!

Here is Hank and me on the carousel....this was Hank's first time to ride...he wasn't too sure about it :)

Here is Chase holding on all by himself!

Chase loves the petting zoo...here he is petting a goat

Chase also had his Christmas party at school and I was so happy that I was able to go!  He LOVES his friends at school and his teachers!  We are so thankful for everyone there!  His teachers made snowman shirts with them, and they turned out so cute!
Here is Chase with some of his friends...

They did a book swap with each other and Chase ended up swapping books with Taylor ("Tay Tay")...they have been together since the beginning and he has always had a little crush on her! :)

Here is his class in front of the Christmas tree....I love this picture because they told the kids to hold their books up for the picture, and look who is following the rules! :)

Here he is again with his friends while they passed out more gifts...

As I said before, Chase LOVES his teachers so much!  They are so wonderful and we are so thankful for them!  Here he is with Mrs. Abby...

And here he is with Mrs. Beth...

My parents have a group of friends that they eat dinner with every Wednesday night, and that group gets their families together every Christmas to eat dinner at El Pablano.  We had a great time this year and it is always great to see everyone!  I didn't take many pictures that night, but I thought I would include the ones that I did.  Hank makes me laugh in the picture....he has such a sweet little smile!

Hank with Peg-P...

Chase with Gran...

Alex and Chase goofing off as always! :)

Hank and Gran...

Another one of my favorite Christmas traditions is making candy with my Dad.  We make turtles and fudge and we have been doing that for as long as I can remember.  We continued that tradition after I got married and it is such a special time to spend with my Dad!  We usually try to get our recipes just right, but the most important thing is licking the bowl!  Drew had to work this year when we made candy, so I took the boys with me to Mom and Dad's house.  I had the intention of putting both of them down for a nap...Chase cooperated, but Hank was not having it!  So, Peg-P played with him and finally they both passed out together!

Here is Hank with Gran after he woke up...

Chase really enjoyed tasting the candy after he woke up! 

So thankful for all of these Christmas memories and traditions...but most importantly for the people that make them happen!