Christmas at Grandad and Mimi's

We had a wonderful, but busy holiday season.  I know I have said it before- but each year the holidays just seem to get better with the kids getting older.  And me, too.  I feel like maybe the older I get, the more nostalgic I get.....and the more I look forward to spending time with my family.  Maybe because we all just seem to be busier....we see them less.  And so I really just tried to soak up our three full days of Christmas with our families!

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Up first.....Christmas Eve Eve at my in-laws.  We had both worked the days leading up to this....and Marilyn was so sweet to prepare everything for our dinner.  I brought nothing.  I felt kind of bad, but it was such a gift and blessing to me {and Geoff, too!  Ha!....he helps out so much with these like this since I usually tend to over commit}.

I am tired and, alas, trying to write a few posts tonight so I make sure to get all of our Christmas happening in....so I will try to keep the words few...

Geoff reading Parker's card to her...

Grace is a present-opening pro!

Big sis was sure to check out what lil sis was getting...

Grandad was creative with the boxes he used to wrap their presents.  ;)

This really deserves a whole blog post of its own....Grace's love for the princesses.  I know most girls do....but I just can't seem to get over how much her one-year-old (I know she's almost two) self really loves the princesses.  She knows all of their names and most of their songs.....she sings right along with them just like her sister.  You see- we didn't really get into princesses this early with Parker because she was the first....she had to develop the like on her own, per se.  But Grace thinks she is 4 and it blows us away how much she can do.  And maybe Parker did this much....I don't care.....I love that it still amazes me and I hope it always does.

My camera was too slow to focus....but "Seeping Booty" is her favorite.  We have to sing "I know yoo!" (aka Once Upon a Dream) to her to bed every night.  So anyway- she opened this and gave off the biggest most sweetest smile....and then kissed her {which is the shot I actually got}.  I am serious- it was so sweet.

And then she just gazed at her....and didn't let go of her much the rest of the night.

This is a gigantic princess art/craft box.  Yeh....this has 500+ pieces that come in it!  Thanks, Grandad and Mimi!  ;)  Hahaha.

All of the food was delicious....great cheese ball, then salad, homemade bread, and a pasta dish that I cannot think of the name for the life of me!!  Frustrating.

We watched Mulan while we were there.  "Reflection" is currently one of Parker's favorite songs, but she had not seen the movie, I don't think, until this night.

And, of course- didn't get a picture of our little family (not this night or the 2 that followed!).


More to come....