Christmas Photo Extravaganza

I know it's taken a while to get my Christmas photos up and running, but you know how it goes - there is so much going on during the holidays you're lucky to even get to sit down to check email.
The Cecavas had a wonderful Christmas as always. We have very loving and generous families who shower us with love and great gifts. On the 19th, Johanna (Nick's sister) and Grandpa Gene (Nick's dad) stopped in on their way back to New Mexico so we got to visit with them a little and exchange gifts with Johanna. She did a co-op this fall semester with NASA in Alabama, so we got some cool space-related gifts. We received two boxes a few days before Christmas, one from Grandma and Grandpa Cecava and another from Uncle Ben and Aunt Casey. We let the boys open them on the 22nd because we knew we should spread out the gift madness so Eli would know where all of his presents came from. Then my parents arrived on the 23rd, bringing in loads of gifts to put under our tree. Because my children get way more gifts than they'll ever need, I tried to limit my mom to only three wrapped gifts for each boy, and I have to say, she did a great job. Nick and I put a limit on our gifts for the boys as well (three wrapped presents, but I think they each ended up with four), and it made opening presents a calmer experience. Eli wasn't so overwhelmed and hopefully a little more appreciative. All Sam was concerned with was the tissue paper. The boys opened presents from Grammy, Paw Paw, and Nat Nat on Christmas Eve, then presents from Santa on Christmas morning. The first thing Eli was concerned about when he woke up was not his presents, but whether or not Santa ate the gingerbread cookies he and Sam left for him. He was super excited to see that Santa had eaten one whole cookie and left part of another with his teeth marks in it. He kept looking at those teeth marks all day.
Later Christmas day, we headed to Keller to visit our friends, the Pierce family. We stayed long enough to hug each other and exchange gifts for the kiddos, then we went on to Aledo to my cousin Aaron and his family's house for Christmas dinner. Aunt Bon and Uncle James were there as well. It was a wonderful time of eating, visiting, and watching the kids play the Wii and open gifts. Good times! We are so very blessed with great families. God is good!
I'm kind of sad to see the season end, but a little relieved as well. Maybe things will slow down a little. Now if that pesky Christmas tree would just magically disappear from my living room...

Make a Smilebox slideshow