Da Beans: Merry Christmas!

The anticipation of Christmas Day gets greater and greater every year and it becomes more fun every year with all of the preparation and fun activities that come along with it. I cannot believe it was over two weeks ago. But here are some shots from our Christmas celebration(s)!

Our Christmas Eve tradition is to go to the candlelight service at church (my favorite part of the season!) and then to my Aunt Terri's where 40+ aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and significant others gather to eat eat a ton of food...and cannolis! Every year, a few more kiddos are born and added to the fun!

Santa even comes by the house and leaves a bag on the front step with a gift for each child!

This year, Mater's Tales for Gray and funky sneakers for Avery.

Thank goodness the last of our Amazon order (Grayson's train...the ONLY thing he asked for!) was delivered at 4 pm on Christmas Eve. Daddy worked hard getting it all set up for the morning. It looked great on a repainted train table that was given to me by my co-worker (Gray doesn't need to know that part! I love recycling.)

Of course, the kids were thrilled to see the gifts and stockings under the tree. There was even a stocking for Guster this year with yummy holiday treats.

Some of Avery's favorite gifts....

(she was the only one who cooperated with the camera to show me what she was opening!)

And of course, some funny stocking stuffers...

tiny pickles for the lady

and olives for the boy!

Grayson's favorite gift came later when Mom Mom came with a motorized SpiderMan scooter!

So happy!

And how can you not love the fact that he is wearing Adam's old Izod Christmas sweater from when he was a little boy?! I'm obsessed with it...I love it so much!

Madi also got a nerf gun for Christmas, so the kids (and adults) got into a huge battle. I actually have audio of Madi saying "this is the best Christmas ever!" during one of the many nerf battles. I think most of the adults agreed. I mean, half of them went out later that week to buy themselves a nerf gun (and perhaps a remote controlled helicopter too). It seems that I am the only one withOUT one!

We did take some toys outside...some light up flying things from Mom Mom that were fun!

And we also relaxed (or passed out) for a little...

Here's my traditional group picture on the couch...that I never remember to take until at least a few people have left. (Missing Tori, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Scott).

What a great, happy, blessed, magical and exhausting day it was!

But because we love to celebrate, we continued a few days later at my mom's to exchange gifts with my side of the family. Here are a few shots from that afternoon.

Ben wearing Noni's dancing Christmas tree..