Christmas!

Our Christmas celebration started the night before Christmas Eve and we opened our presents from the four of us. We started out by reading the "Christmas story" in Luke and talking about the BEST gift ever given - JESUS! Then we opened our gifts from each other. We did not get very much for the kids this Christmas because at the time I shopped for the kids gifts we weren't sure if Dave would have a job after the end of January. (His company is closing down - side note - he got a job - praise God). I'll have to write about that whole story some time - God worked in an amazing way! Anyway, the kids LOVED their gifts (even though I only spent $15 on each of them), turns out it doesn't matter how much you spend! They also picked out a gift for each other - it was so much fun to see how excited they were to open each others gifts and how thankful they were!




The next day after Dave got off work we headed to Sterling for Christmas Eve. It was small, just my brother and his family, my parents and us! We ate appetizers and visited. It was relaxing and nice - which was good because Christmas day is always CRAZY!
Christmas day at my parents is always full of family and Italian food!! We eat ravioli, prime rib, salad, bread - need I go on. I'm getting full just writing about it. The meal and time with family was wonderful but the best part is that my Grandpa (who is 92) was able to come over for lunch. He has been in the nursing home for quite some time now and his health isn't the best but he made it. I do not have a Christmas memory that doesn't include my Bun (Italian for Grandpa). Two of my grandpas loves in life are good food and family - turns out Christmas includes both! I was so happy he was able to come over and am so thankful for the time I get to spend with him. He is one of the most amazing men I have ever known. He's is a nursing home, can't see well, can't hear well, his body aches - but I'm not sure I have ever heard him complain. He has the most positive attitude I have EVER seen. I know from all the years I've known him that he has always been like that but I'm also sure he was like that before I came along because I see the same characteristics in my mom. After lunch and clean up the kids opened presents and the only word to describe it is - CRAZY!!!!! We have about 25 people (including kids) all opening presents at the same time - paper flying, kids wanting things opened, you hear things like: "thank you", "this is just what I wanted", "no Shane don't open that, it's not for you", "Dave take some pictures", "no you can't open that quite yet Julia ..." Then it's over and everyone is tired and full! It's crazy but a lot of fun! Poor Dave wasn't feeling well so he "half" joined the fun. He's feeling much better now.





We still aren't done with our Christmas celebrations, we will have "Christmas" with Dave's side of the family this weekend! I'll post pictures from that!