Christmas At Home

Mom and Dad got us a new digital camera this year for Christmas! Too bad our christmas celebration with them was one of the last for the season and so we didn't have the camera to take pictures at the others. Here is the family pic we took as Nick and I were heading out the door to go back to Peoria. We had all had a very late night the night before followed by a pretty early morning therefore there is no cropping and zooming in closer. Regardless of the lack of sleep, I think we're a pretty good looking group. Mom and Dad certainly spoiled us this year by having a "good old fashioned fun family christmas" like we did when Dale and I were little. The only difference was Santa came one day later than normal so to accomodate all the other family christmas celebrations as well as travel.
We were so thankful that this year the McKay side of the family was so gracious to move their dinner to lunch on christmas eve so to spread out the holiday and keep us from having to rush from one family gathering to another. I can say without a doubt that that was the best christmas present I got this year. We were never in a rush and never watching our time and perfectly able to enjoy all of our family gatherings to the fullest.
Christmas eve night was spent at my parent's house with the Metzger side (and the addition of Grandma and Grandpa Swinford) playing games and eating way too much and feeling Heather's belly as the baby got the hiccups! We all went together then to midnight mass and enjoyed the moving voices of the adult chior at St. Charles.
We were up bright and early the next morning to head to Indiana for the Miller family christmas. Nick and I were exhausted from the late night and early morning but we managed to stay awake through lunch. After a short nap on the couch, we were at the table playing euchre with his dad and uncle followed by a viewing of some very cute old family photos.
Then it was back to Illinois and Charleston to wait for Dale and Yvette to arrive so we could decide how long our "santa watching" shifts would be though the night. None of us were able to stay awake but Santa came and left more goodies than we could ever have imagined. Then, just like old times, the grandparents came over for breakfast casserole and we sat and talked for a few hours. Karaline and Jessica came by to see us so that she could open her presents from her aunts and uncles. This is a picture of her in the sleeping bag Nick and I got her for when she is ready to come stay all night with us.
That night was christmas with the Swinfords. We all gathered at Aunt Cindy and Uncle Warren's house for a family sleep over that included way way way too much food and matching pajama pants. It was a lot of laughs and not much sleep but good fun all the same. All in all, this christmas was great for us and we only hope you enjoyed yours as much or more.