Christmas #1

This year we hosted the annual Lawler Family Christmas Eve celebration. It was a really fun time with family, although we really missed the Stewarts who were unable to attend because they are awaiting the arrival of the new Stewart baby boy (affectionately referred to as Stewie Stewart by his loving auntie). Check out a few pics from our day.

To prepare for our celebration we made a never-ending supply of frosted Christmas cookies.

The girls. They played so sweetly together.

The boys. They had great fun too.

Great Grandpa Lawler who reads the Christmas story from the Bible every year. It is one of the very best parts of Christmas Eve.

Visiting Santa...

Some people were really happy to see Santa and put in their requests and other people were not that happy...

O Christmas Tree!

We had a lovely Christmas tree this year. It was the perfect height and shape and had just the right amount of spacing between its' branches! It did come with some visitors (tiny spiders) that we are glad to be rid of now, but it was a spectacular tree. It should be noted however, that we do not have a fancy tree. WE have a story tree because each and every ornament has a story - when it was received, what it meant, who made it or gave it and whose favorite it is. Our tree is a mish mash of old and new, tacky and treasured and I love it. Here are some pics...

My new ornament. I am mildly obsessed with Jonathan Adler and this ornament is part of his menagerie collection. LOVE IT!

Alex's new ornament this year. GO DUCKS!

Isaac's new ornament. Like father, like son.

Jackson's. I love a good sock monkey!

Reiley picked her own this year and this ornament is all Reiley!

Here is one of my faves from Christmases past. This was Isaac's ornament when he was one. He has been played with and has a missing ear, but he is so sweet.

This is George Washington who always graces the back of our tree. Who knows why, but Alex LOVES him. I think he is holding a little holly in his hand, so I guess that makes him Christmasy.

Lest you think all the tacky ornaments belong to Alex, here is one from my childhood. What does a clown with really bad hair have to do with Christmas you ask? I HAVE NO IDEA, but every year there he is on the back of the tree.

The Crazy Days of Christmas!

These have been some crazy days at our house. I got an early jump on the Christmas shopping BEFORE Thanksgiving. Then I got all proud of myself about how far ahead of the game I was so I didn't do anything else for A LONG TIME and then I was totally behind... And then Isaac got walking pneumonia and I got the cold that won't go away and the baby cut his eye teeth! All I can say is thank goodness for online shopping, rush shipping (although it is painful to pay for it) and the housekeepers that come and really deep clean my house twice a month.

Even though it has been crazy, we have had some really good times this holiday season. Alex and I went to a few Christmas parties with friends and co-workers and we celebrated the one year anniversary of his company, WBI. We also enjoyed Reiley's Winter Dance Showcase! Those little girls are so darned cute. Check out the pics below. A few nights ago, we all got into comfy clothes and Christmas jammies, picked up a warm drink at Starbucks and drove around for over an hour looking at Christmas lights. This is one of our kids' favorite things to do. It was funny this year, because we had a couple of little light critics in the backseat. "Those are beautiful." "This house did a really good job." and "What no lights, don't you love Jesus? Aren't you going to celebrate Christmas?" and other random comments from my daughter who never fails to have an opinion and always makes her opinion known! I am so glad she associates EVERYTHING at Christmas with the birth of Jesus, but questioning people's love for Jesus based on their light display is a little off-base. We may have some fine tuning to do.

But, despite all the chaos and the busy-ness, we are having a fantastic Christmas season remembering that Jesus is the reason, loving our kids, loving our life and rolling with the punches.

Winter showcase- Reiley's ballet class

Isaac's classroom party!

This is how Jackson feels about Christmas shopping with mommy...

Reiley's classroom party!