Christmas 2012 Recap.

The Christmas decorations are all down, organized and packed away for next year.  We sure did have a nice Christmas run, but I am ready to focus on 2013.

We started off the holiday by getting pictures with Santa in early December!  We love our tradition of going and seeing Santa and then having lunch together at the Nordstrom Grill in Bellevue.  This year she was a little more aware than last.  We were excited to get a crying picture though, it is pretty funny!  The photographer was amazing though and he was able to get some smiles out of her.  So we have a photo of crying and a smile!

I took the crying one with my camera and we purchased the smiling one below

All ready to see Santa in her dress

Waiting to see the big guy with dad

Coloring while waiting for lunch

Seeing Santa is a great kick-off to the holiday season!  We have been taking turns each year being with our two families for Christmas day.  This year was Jeff’s parents turn so we decided to celebrate Christmas with my parents the Saturday before the holiday.  We do not make it down to Olympia very often now with the little one.  I can probably count on one hand the times we have went south in 2012.  With my mom coming up every week to watch Livie and my dad joining from time to time, there just isn’t a big motivation to make the trip.  It was great to get down there and be at my parent’s house and I think they really liked us being there too.

Havens’ pretty tree

I love that the entire focus on Christmas revolves around Olivia!  What did we do before her?  I am so looking forward to our family growing and having a group of little ones and cousins opening gifts together.  We opened our gifts with my parents before dinner and Livie got some great things.  She received a beautiful new craft table from PBK from my parents that turns into a normal size table by extending the legs.  This will be her table in her room growing up; so useful and timeless.  We are looking forward to putting it together and getting some good use out of it.  A craft table is perfect coming from my mom – I see lots of crafts in their future.

So many fun new toys to play with!

Peekaboo Bear was a hit too

After opening our gifts we enjoyed a delicious dinner; our traditional cioppino with loads of seafood and yummy sourdough bread for dipping.  Jeff and I look forward to this every year.  My parents do a great job!  We ended the evening by playing Apples to Apples and hanging out.  It was a very nice first Christmas of the three.

The next day Christmas came early for Jeff and he got to golf; his favorite past time!  Livie and I stayed another night at my parents house to get some more time in with them, rest a bit before moving onto the next.  We also visited some good friends while we were down there.

Sill playtime!

Christmas Eve morning we were off to get home and get re-organized.  We enjoyed Christmas Eve together and went to Christmas Eve children’s mass at St. John the Baptist.  Jeff’s parents joined us for mass to make it extra special too!  Livie did very well and lasted through the entire long mass.  She was definitely ready to go by the end.

All ready for Chrismas Eve mass

We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner at home!  We also finished up some last minute wrapping for the next day.  Christmas morning in our house was so fun, I just love our house at Christmas.  We were so excited to get Livie downstairs and see what Santa brought her and her new chair and stuffed animals from us.  We didn’t go too nuts on gifts this year; her big gift from us was her PBK anywhere chair which she loves!  She also got some other fun toys and a couple outfits and new swim suits from mom and dad – she is all ready for Palm Desert in March!

So excited to get to the tree and see what Santa brought her

New swim suits and sun hat for the desert!

After our morning together we got ready to head over to Jeff’s parents for our Christmas with them!  It was such a nice day – we enjoyed opening presents together when we got over there; Livie got a cool new play gym and an adorable baby doll from Grandpa and Grandma and lots of adorable clothes from Jamie and Troy.  So many fun new things!  Jeff and I received gift cards and money to put towards our powder room remodel (which is underway!), post to come soon on our design and progress.  Everyone made out well!

Christmas pictures in front of the tree

Twins!

She loves the Santas that sing and dance

Beautiful new coat from Aunt Jamie & Uncle Troy

Giving her new baby kisses

After gifts we enjoyed the day together; played games, watched the little one play and snacked.  Up next was an awesome Christmas dinner!  Jeff’s parents do such a nice job hosting and we also love how close they live to us.  It makes it so convenient for us.

Loving all of the attention

She also enjoyed the musical carousel

We had a fabulous three Christmases with our family and now have many great memories to think back on.  Livie loved her second Christmas too, last year she was a tiny baby.  Next year will be so much fun with her!

Having the week off of Christmas to New Years has been wonderful and I am going to be very sad to leave my little girl, but we will get back into the routine once again.  The break was a bit more busy than I had anticipated, we had two other Christmas parties after Christmas and now are looking forward to a relaxing New Year’s Eve with good friends.

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day!!  Happy New Year!