Christmas Eve & Day...with the Mac & Hammies Family

Will wonders never cease?!

I got Christmas posted...and its not even June!

This is the view of our Christmas tree and the presents under, around, surrounding it...the ratio of tree to presents was severely over-balanced on the present side....

But what else do you get when you've got two families living under one roof?!

Christmas Eve....

Our tradition (Stann's and mine) has always been to hang around the house, watch Christmas movies, go out to dinner (the Nelson's introduced us to this one...!) at La Carreta's (Mexican restaurant in Gresham) and then read the Christmas story and sing some songs. 

This year introduced a first for us though!  Our sweet boys are old enough to start "acting" the parts out of the Christmas story.  So as we read Luke 2 (with only a minor improvisation on adding an innkeeper) - we all acted our parts out.

Matt - the role of said Innkeeper

Joshua - our "Shepherd-guy" - complete with 2 lambies.

The whole cast & crew

(minus Grandma Mac - our narrator)

L-R: Uncle Jason - a "Wiseguy" (aptly named by Matt)

Gigi - another Wiseguy

Mommy (me) - Mary - holding baby Scotty

Baby Scotty (the cabbage patch with the bad haircut...another story for another time...thanks Matt!) - reprising the role as baby Jesus

Stann - Joseph

Aunt Chrissy - the Angel proclaiming the birth of baby Jesus

Jay, Chrissy, and Daddy weren't thrilled about the dressing up and acting out...

But they were sure good sports about it!

Christmas morning - started at 6:40 am.  The boys are being detained in the kitchen. :)

Josh is ready to race in there and find his presents as you can see.  Christmas Eve they opened their Christmas jammies. :)  (Another of our lovely family traditions!)

Matt checking out the loot from Santa...he got a watch...and LOVED it!

Joshy checking out his stuff as well...

One very excited Joshua....with a brand new set of Buzz Lightyear wings! 

To infinity!  And beyond!

Checking out the goods....we didn't do a huge Christmas. Our budget just wouldn't allow it.  But I think, and some may disagree with me - but for us - it was a simple and I think better Christmas!

The biggest gift our boys got was the scooters.  (from us)

Santa brought Buzz stuff & Dr. stuff for the boys...

Later that morning....we headed over to my folks home.  Again, simplicity was the theme.  But again...it was really, really nice!  Mom & Dad got me an awesome icing/decorator set, fancy dishwashing gloves and a cute flowery scrub brush. :) Stann got a gift card.

We also got a bag full of the preserves that my Mom put up this year.  It added to our food storage, and it meant a lot knowing that Mom had put so much time and effort into gifts for all of us grown up kids. ;)

I know that the economy has hit some pretty hard - our family most definitely included - and this Christmas season was one of our finest yet.  We were able to start the process of helping our children understand that its not about the presents.  It's about Christ.

Luckily, our kids are pretty dang awesome.  They didn't care.  I worried though...especially as I compared (mentally) presents that their cousins got as to what we bought for them.  And I have to say...our kids rock.  Maybe they're just to young to notice a difference...maybe they don't care...maybe like most things...it just doesn't matter really (though for those who have been in situations similar to ours...you know it's true...but it doesn't stop the "twinging" that you can't buy them all the things you'd love to buy them...)  regardless of reason...they are awesome. :)

Now switching gears totally...here's a pic of Stann working over our nephew Zachary. (He's 14 - my younger sister Sarah's oldest...eek!)  The kid is almost taller than Stann. ;)

But that didn't stop Stann from reinforcing the lesson that Papa Hammies has told them time and time again....

"Old age and treachery will beat youth and skill, every time."

And....still not done....we didn't go home yet...just off and going to the Mac family celebration...since we're living with my in-laws...all the family occassions now are celebrated at Stann's brother Curt's home.

They graciously let us have Christmas celebrations there....

We skyped with David for the better part of 5 hours. 

(See there? on the computer screen my wonderful MIL is holding?!

That's Elder Mac in Campinas Brazil...! I think.  Or it could be Shaun.  We skyped with both of them!)

There was lots of good food, fun....socializing....

A quick pic of Josh and Gigi. :) 

There's a special place in her heart for him...as there is with all her great grandchildren...but he's the only one named after Stann's Grandpa Ralph. ;)

See...?  More skyping...although...you can see a clearer picture of Elder David...he's sooo skinny!  He was sweating - as it was in the low 90's...!  But it was awesome to see him!  And he talks with an accent now! LOL

Not too far after...Curt & Aimee and their kiddo's had to leave.  But we stayed behind (to talk to David) and progress on to

WORLD WAR I of the McNamee Family NERF WARS.

As you can see....it is an occassion like none other...

Jay is coming down the stairs....Jimmy's armed with a laundry basket and couch cushion strapped around his middle...just in case...

Stann & Matt, Big Josh & Little Josh - teamed up against the others....(Jay, Jimmy & Chrissy)

It was a blast. ;) 

(Pun totally intended there...)

We visited the birthfamily this holiday season....Matt posed for a picture....

Josh screamed.

I feel very blessed to have been given such a wonderful family!

Not only the one I was born into....but the one I was fortunate and blessed to marry into....and the one that Heavenly Father hand-selected for Stann and I. :)

I had a hard time counting all the blessings I've been given, this Christmas season.  I'm so grateful to have a Heavenly Father that's mindful of me!