We had round one of our Christmas celebrations this evening with most of our extended family. We will celebrate again in the morning with my stepsons but this evening was when we saw most of th family. 

We come together most Sundays for family dinner so this group has become closer in the last year. It’s fun now because we have so many little ones and they’re getting to the age where they play together.  Tonight before dinner we had a niece and two nephews running and giggling together through the kitchen. 

I set the table with care yesterday so I could enjoy the process and not feel rushed. I love setting the table. There is something so satisfying about making a beautiful, inviting table with everything laid just so. I think I got that from my mom. I set her photo and my mother-in-law’s on the table so they could be there with us too.  When my niece Bailey sat down she said, “Hey mom, that’s grandma’s. Hi grandma.”  So sweet. 

This year we had a special addition to our table from my husband’s grandmother: her silver candelabra. It took me a while but I got it shined up and looking spiffy. Isn’t it pretty there in the middle of the table?

After dinner Bailey started off the gifts as the oldest child present. 

She needed some help from Grampy, who gladly obliged. 

Inside she found lots of treats for our egg collecting expeditions. Now she has her own boots, apron and sunglasses (you never know when the sun will get in your eyes while chasing birds around). 

Now we can be twins. 

Landen was next. Grampy helped him too. 

He got a nice shirt from my aunt.  Somehow Landen always ends up with that little Buddha belly hanging out. 

Really all Landen wanted was to play with the packaging. It’s the simple things in life that bring the most joy!

Bailey and her mamma unwrapped another. 

The gift exchanging continued for a while. It had a nice pace this year, where you could actually watch everyone open their presents. I handed a copy of my family cookbook to each household so all could open it at the same time. Everyone seemed to really like it. I hope it will be a gift that gets used and enjoyed for years to come!

This was all a little too much commotion for my sweet little old Soju. First she tried to nest in the tree skirt behind the tree. Then she went to her safe spot under the bench. Poor girl. 

Now this little one, on the other hand, slept through it all, happy and safe in grandma’s arms. 

So now we get to bed and rest a bit before we do our small family Christmas with our boys tomorrow.  Before I go to bed though, I have to prepare my mother-in-law’s Christmas Morning French Toast Casserole so it’ll be ready to bake in the morning. 

Sleep tight. May your dreams be filled with sweetness and may you wake to a warm house full of family.