5 Christmases

Christmas, Christmas, and more Christmas!!!

Audrey thinks everyday is Christmas and this is why...

We had our 1st Christmas celebration in Maryland

We had a small gift exchange with the cousins.

Here's sweet little Shiloh.

We had Eric's mom (Cedulie) and Luis over for the 1st real Christmas.

Audrey and the poor star

The kids' new picnic table filled the living room.

We headed to California for three weeks (only two for Eric) for the holidays.

I was blessed on the flight to sit by this sweet grandma that has been a pre-school teacher for 17 years. She quizzed Audrey on her letters, combed pony's hair and held Elliott when I needed to go to the bathroom. Later, I thought I might have sat by an angel.

We were excited to escape the cold and soak up some SoCal sun. However, we arrived and had seven straight days of rain. We spent a lot more time at my mom's house and were blessed to have some friends visit us there. Here is Cami, our beloved former babysitter with the kids.

Audrey got to visit Santa and was just thrilled. She said she would leave out

"milk, cookies and curtains" for him. What a doll!

My mom tried to get as many hugs and kisses as she could

and paid the price by getting our nice head cold.

Audrey in her CalKing bed.

Eric joined us Dec. 22 and we celebrated Christmas Day at my dad's for Christmas #2. My sister Rahime, her husband 'Chung and her two Great Danes came down from San Francisco.

My dad and Arlene with the kids

The grand babies

Brembo and Puffin want to be lap dogs.

Elliott got his first truck and loved it!

Christmas #3 was on the 26th at my mom and Larry's house.

The grand babies again

Elloitt loving his and new elephant and his Aunite Lauren

Audrey got a dress up chest full of new headpieces

and leggings- some hot new outfits to come.

Thanks Auntie MeiMei!

She dressed us all up

My boys

My tea

Some delightful eyes!

Our annual family pic

We spent a few days with Eric's dad and step-mom

and celebrated Christmas #4.

They also came down to my mom's for Christmas Eve.

Elliott practiced his gymnastics

and Audrey dressed up

We put on a mini pageant for Audrey,

thanks to Mary Ann's creative skills.

The fun Christmas spirit dimmed for me when I learned of my best friend's dad's death from a sudden heart attack. I don't know where to ever place this in my post or my heart, because it just doesn't fit anywhere. To lose someone two days after Christmas and bury them on New Year's Eve doesn't seem right. I was SO blessed to be in town to attend the funeral and be there for my dearest friend.

On that note, the trip didn't end for us but I guess much of the pictures did. How can you capture "happy times" when such "sad times" still linger?

We drove straight up to San Fran (as planned) after the funeral, but without Lidia (as not planned) to celebrate New Year's and my sister Rahime's birthday. We also got to see Eric's step-sister, Susan, the baby bump and Tom again.

They got to practice feeding. Tom asks, "when will Elliott start solids?"

Oh, Tom you have a lot to learn, this mush IS "solids!

After San Fran, we got to see a few friends-

Thanks to all that made the effort to see us!

The Grant and Lapointe families- 5 kids in 3.5 years!

I got together with some girls (and lots of kids) from our nursing class.

Pictures in another post to come, because this one has far too many already.

We visited our beloved first home, Paddison Farm

and had some family pictures taken (stay-tuned).

We were ready to return home to the cold and a little more routine and structure for the kids after an enjoyable but long three weeks. We arrived home to two huge boxes of presents for the kids from my Aunt Karen and Uncle Eugene and had Christmas #5 the following morning.

My kids are blessed with so many people that love them...

so don't judge Eric and I for not buying any presents for our kids.

They get plenty spoiled from everyone else!