Christmas 2013

Christmas seemed so short this year.  Mark had to work the day before and after so we didn't leave til late afternoon on Christmas Eve to head to my Mom's and and were only there til the following evening.  We had alot of fun though!  

On Christmas Eve our tradition is to go to my Dad's side of the family for the evening.  We eat dinner, load up into about five or six car and drive around Christmas caroling to friends of the family and then come back and just hang out for several hours, opening presents late in the evening.  Every year before now Olivia was just a hot mess and I ended up leaving early to take her back to my Mom's to sleep while Mark stayed behind.  This year I was VERY surprised that Olivia was mostly happy the entire evening and we actually stayed til midnight.  The last 30 minutes we were there she was fussy but up until then she had a ball.  She absolutely LOVED caroling and playing with her second cousin Nathan.  We even moved his carseat to our car so they could be together for the drive.  Every year I try to make something homemade for my aunts and uncles.  This year I made East Coast Applique's Dove Ornaments on my embroidery machine.  

The next day Olivia woke to find that Santa had visited her at Nana's house and later my brother and his wife came over and we enjoyed lunch together and more presents.  I had been very sick in November and December so I actually finished sewing Olivia's Christmas pants on Christmas Eve!