Holly Jolly Festivities

 What a gift it was to have Eli and Evie experiencing Christmas with us this year after so many years in the waiting end of the journey.  Still sleepy and adjusting to doubling our little people population, plus family visitors and a hospital stay, kept our Christmas lower key than ever.  We skipped parties and tuned down traditions.  The goal was to keep it simple, love on little people, and focus on the huge gifts that we'd been given this Christmas.

 

Yes, Chippy still visited, but he must have had a wild ride of a year too, because he kept things extra simple.  He was all smiles when he learned that there were more kids to enjoy this year, but he mainly just moved around the house.  On Christmas Eve, he surprised us with a candy cane hunt.  We sure do love Chippy, but we're glad that he got a little less focus this year. 

Being at home most of the time, the girls loved all the extra play time. They filled it with nativity reenactments with sheets over their heads and Santa and Rudolph plays with taped on costumes!

 

One sweet night, we mixed up some hot chocolate, hopped in the wagon and went on a neighborhood Christmas lights.  The Es had no clue what was going on, but they were all smiles. 

We didn't even end up having to do much holiday baking because Mamaw kept sending fudge and peanut butter balls, and we got some beautiful sugar cookies from a sweet family member. 

 Of course, Christmas just can't pass for me without baking up something, and these cute little gingerbread friends were the perfect family design fun.   

 The girls begged and begged them, so Mamaw and Papaw came back for Christmas!  They played games, scrubbed our house and cooked some awesome holiday eats!

 Having missed our traditional "Journey Through Bethlehem" outing, we were so thrilled when we literally followed a star to this beautiful outdoor, live nativity.  It was rustic, simple perfection to match our simple Christmas!