The Best Presents come in Small Packages-Christmas!

Hannah and Owen's favorite things about Christmas were spending time with family and receiving cuddles from everyone.  They also really liked our Christmas tree.  We would often put them in their bouncy seats in front of it and they would just gaze at all the lights and ornaments.  I always thought they looked like to perfect presents sitting under our tree.  I tried to take a picture to capture what I saw in my mind but it didn't turn out as the vision I had.

Christmas Eve

Words cannot express how special this Christmas was for us.  The only presents we needed were Hannah and Owen and our presents they were (it didn't help that we had very little time or desire to hit the stores or even get online and shop).  We did buy for Hannah and Owen and our immediate family because that is part of the tradition of Christmas.  Christmas was Hannah and Owen's first big outing with extended family.  We always like to draw our Christmas holiday out by seeing family over the course of several days and at several houses.  Christmas started on Christmas Eve at Nana and Granddad's house with great grandma Hannah, Ernie, and my aunt Renee and her family.  I was so excited to finally be able to put Hannah and Owen in the outfits that I had purchased for them before they even arrived.  It was fun to hang out and share them with our family.  Their first Christmas presents from Nana and Granddad were a stuffed princess and peanut doll and some squeaker people toys that they love.

 4 generations together

(me, my mom, my grandmother, and Hannah and Owen)

 Owen

 Hannah with the ribbon from a present on her head

 Hannah and Owen with Nana

 Hannah and Mommy

 Owen

 Hannah

 Twas the night before Christmas and Hannah and Owen are in their Christmas jammies

We know they won't always go to sleep this easily on Christmas Eve!

Christmas Day

Christmas Day started off with church.  We were excited to take Hannah and Owen to church to meet Fr. Jim since he didn't catch us at the hospital when they were born.  It was very special to walk in with them in their carriers and receive his blessing.  Hannah and Owen slept through the whole service.   Hannah and Owen were definitely our perfect and treasured Christmas gifts from God.  It was very special to have them born relatively close to the Christmas season.  We were blessed with two beautiful healthy and thriving babies who bring us so much joy.  We are so thankful for the gift of them in our lives.  These were the things I thought about at church on Christmas morning while listening about Mary and Joseph welcoming Jesus into the world.

After church we hosted my mom's birthday brunch at our house.  I was proud of myself for pulling off a prepared brunch on time with two 6 week old babies in the house.  It is a tradition and I had to keep it up.  We enjoyed sharing this special day with my mom, dad, brother, grandma, and Ernie.  The rest of the day was pretty laid back.  We hung around our house and took care of our precious babies.  Between them eating and napping we didn't manage to open their Christmas gifts until late that night.  Both Hannah and Owen got clothes and books from Mommy and Daddy and Santa brought them a play gym which they have loved.

 Our special Hallmark ornaments for this year.

 The best presents we've ever received

 Mommy and Hannah

 Owen was exhausted by the busy day

 Daddy and Owen

 Owen with Patches Flat Dog-

a present he received from Mommy and Daddy that was the first gift we ever bought him.

 Hannah with Freckles Flat Dog-

a present she received from Mommy and Daddy that was the first gift we ever bought her.

Hannah and Owen trying out their new play gym from Santa.

Christmas at

Grandma and Grandpa Houston's

Within a couple days of Christmas Day we loaded up and went down to Chris' parents house for our Christmas celebration with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Vic, and Uncle Troy.  We enjoy being able to spread our Christmas celebrations out over several days.  Chris' grandmother, Mema, and his Aunt Debra and Uncle Donald also joined us for dinner.  Grandma Edna had worked hard preparing new food for us to sample and as always we enjoyed someone else cooking for us.  We really enjoyed hanging out with our family and they enjoyed cuddling and loving on Hannah and Owen.  We opened presents too, but that was definitely a side event as our time together was the most important.

 The ride over put Owen right to sleep-they love their car seats and bundleme's!

 Mommy and Hannah-wow, we eat a lot!

 Mommy opens Hannah and Owen's Christmas present from Grandma and Grandpa.

 Hannah and Owen hang out in their cradles, which always went with us when they were itty bitty.

 Grandpa trying to keep Hannah and Owen content while Uncle Troy takes a picture.

 Uncle Troy and Aunt Vic open presents.

Grandma and Grandpa open presents.