Christmas was super busy and all over the place this year. I think I preferred last Christmas when I got to hide out in my warm hospital bed. To say that I don't handle the stress of the holidays well would be putting it mildly. Dragging two hungry and tired kids back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth across the country in the cold is no picnic.
But I do love the few stress free moments that I get to quietly share at home, in pajamas, with my loves. Barker's office closes the week of Christmas and New Years, yay! We love making gingerbread houses, watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate. I quit dairy for the month of May and again in October, and have had it very, very rarely since then...until hot chocolate bull dozed it's way back into my life. It's a cold weather luxury I'm finding difficult to say goodbye to. I'm ready for it to warm up again or these venti salted caramel non-fat no whip hot chocolates are going to make my pants not fit. My dad bought Barker a new treadmill for Christmas. I suppose I should hop on it.
Anyway- I'm too busy to write anything merry and bright for this post so here are some pictures of various Christmas events instead.
Hudson wasn't able to visit Santa last year for his first Christmas so I took him this year. I couldn't get to Cabella's or Bass Pro, where I prefer to go. And we didn't have one at my Arlington Mommies Christmas party this year. And Audrey's allergies were bothering her too badly to stick around for Santa at the Morris Christmas train party. So I had to brave the mall Santa. Ugh. Other wise known as '$20 for a picture of people terrorizing your children in a flu and tummy virus' nightmare. Yeah, that Santa. And yes I'm that "Don't touch anything! And don't breathe!" mommy.
Hudson did not like Mrs. Claus and cried. Then Santa crept out from behind and tree and he lost it all over again. Audrey liked him about as much as Huddie liked his wife. So of probably a dozen or so shots, this picture of both of my children looking seriously uncomfortable was the best their elf could manage. Oh well, memories, right?
Audrey asked Santa for a purple bear you draw on and then put in the washing machine to draw on again. Luckily, Santa pulled through. Barker asked her if she told Santa she had been a good girl this year. She replied "No. You don't have to lie to Santa. He already knows." ha!
Audrey and her crew making smores on Jo's fire pit. I had to stay inside because Hudson was having none of it.
a ginger bread house being carefully decorated
Arlington Mommies annual Christmas party
love these kids (and their mommies)
Morris family annual Christmas train party
Hud and his cousin Blayne in their Christmas pajamas after one of many family Christmas dinners
riding a horse that my dad and his siblings played on as children
Audrey showing off her Beatles tote bag!
Hudd Muffin is all about opening gifts
Audrey received a ton of dress up clothes this Christmas.
She can add Tinkerbell, a wedding dress, and a pink and yellow wacky dress to her collection.
Audi, Huddie and their cousin Callie playing with their goodies.
Kitten was in clothes but she prefers to put her pajamas over them : )
Meat Pie discovered cheese cake.
uh-oh
And unlike his sister, he LOVES dogs. Up until this week he called all animals dogs. But now he's pointing out cats, too. Here he was giving my brother's dog Scout some squeezes. Audrey avoids dogs when at all possible. Especially little ones. I don't know why. The only incident she's ever had was when she was just under a year. We were at a friend of Barker's for their son's first birthday. Another guest brought a weenie dog with out a leash. And there was of course cake. Audrey, like most of the tiny guests, wasn't walking and couldn't get away. I nearly injured myself lunging for Audrey, forgetting I was in a skirt. The little rat latched onto Audrey's mouth just as I grabbed it and shoved it away. It instantly bit her lip again. Again, I immediately flung it off, a little further away the second time, and took her inside to wash her face. It didn't break the skin, luckily. It just wanted the cake that was on her lips, it wasn't trying to eat her face. But it's hands down the most angry I've ever been in my entire life. I actually had to leave the party. And I'll never look at little dogs the same. I wouldn't think Audrey could remember that but for whatever reason she wants nothing to do with dogs and makes me hold her when they're around. But Hudson will ride a Mastiff as if it's a totally normal, daily occurrence. Boys.
At yet another party my friend Rene helped the kids make reindeer food for Santa's reindeer.
The kids put it out side.
Boudreaux especially loved throwing it.
Like every year we spend Christmas eve in pajamas making Santa cookies.
We didn't make the candle light service at church this year, bummer. I had to miss it last year too but I insisted Barker leave the hospital for at least an hour to take Audrey. It was like pulling teeth to get him out of my hospital room but I'm glad he caved. She loved holding the candle and going up front when our neighbor and youth minister Carter told the kids a story. Luckily for me she didn't mention it this year and really enjoying decorating Santa's cookies, so I didn't feel as bad.
This is how Daddy decorates cookies.
I scrubbed her teeth extra hard after this.
Santa enjoyed Audrey's cookies and milk.
He didn't have to share. I wanted nothing to do with whole milk.
Hudson playing with some toys Santa brought
Audrey opening gifts
I think Huddie was most excited about the fruit snacks in his stocking. Audrey was happy to see the purple bear Santa remembered but said she liked the bike her daddy gave her a few weeks ago the best.
