Both kids are asleep! It seems I haven't been able to manage that in quite some time.

I have really enjoyed reading about everyone else's Christmas and thought I'd share what ours was like.

We had a houseful on the Saturday and Sunday before Christmas!

We hosted the Christmas meal at our house for the first time ever and it went really well, if I do say so myself. I certainly didn't cook everything alone though - I had LOTS of help from my sweet sister in law, Laura, and mother in law, Babs.

Sadly, James' dad was quite ill and unable to make the trip down. Melody woke up with a fever on Sunday morning and was quarantined to the spare room for the day. Even with the absence of Wade and Melody, we had people everywhere in our small house. For the meal we had 13 people crammed in the dining room on two tables. James wanted to set the other table up in the breakfast area in the kitchen, but I was adamant about having everyone in the same room. Maybe the kids can have their own table in the coming years - most of them are still at the age where adult supervision is still required. It was fun though - tiring, but fun.

EVERYONE left by 7pm on Christmas Eve and it was just the 4 of us left. James and I scrambled to pick up as much as possible before setting out Santa presents. James was in the garage for ages putting something together - I wasn't allowed in. I spent my time inside wrapping presents, listening to Christmas music. I have a thing about stocking presents needing to be wrapped. So I wrapped everything in site!

Ava had a HUGE blowout at midnight - about 2 minutes after I had fallen asleep. I ended up giving her a bath and wasn't able to get to sleep until almost 1. Nathan woke up with a full blown cold on Christmas morning. We spent the whole morning slowly opening presents, drinking coffee, eating yummy Christmas Chess squares, trying out our new tempur pedic pillows, etc. It was a wonderful day except for the gobs and gobs of tissues we went through with Nathan. EVERYONE has gotten sick since then. Ava has been to the doctor twice and is FINALLY getting over her cold. James and I are feeling better too, I guess. James seems to always get sick around Christmas - why should this Christmas have been any different??

I don't have too many pictures from Christmas morning. We took video instead.

I'll start with some pictures from Christmas Eve when everyone was here.

My sister, her husband and their new baby daughter, Katie.

My mom with Ava, Adam, Joey, Nathan and Anna in Nathan's room (kid central).

Horsey (Jordan), Nathan and Anna

My mom with Adam and Joey

Me and Ava

Ava alone

Katie and Ava in Ava's crib. Katie has now slept in Ava's crib more than Ava has! (This IS about to change though.) As you can see, Ava is doing her daily crunches!

2 of Ze Chefs!

This was taken right before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. Santa had already set out Nathan's Thomas the Train set and Big see through ball under the tree.

Ava in Nathan's new dumptruck. She won't fit in his old one anymore!
This picture is for you, Megan!

And finally, my sweet lil scary monster! (this is what he called himself)