Catching up...

Life just seems to be going in sporadic spurts...some months I have lots of time to blog, others...not so much!  That was totally the case with December.  Stann was out of town the majority of the month on business, including over the Christmas holiday....so a lot more of my time was spent entertaining the boys and trying to keep them busy - while not going crazy.  It's a lot harder to keep boys entertained when you're single-parenting it...!  My hats off to you brave people that have to do it all day, everyday!

We kept it low-key on Christmas Eve....stayed at home, had a yummy ham dinner, cheesy potatoes, homemade rolls, green beans sauteed with bacon....and Christmas cookies. :)

Aunt Chrissy, Uncle Jason, Gigi, Grandma, me and my boys enjoyed ourselves immensely!  I read the kids an abbreviated version of the Christmas story and then they got to open their tradition Christmas Eve presents...

JAMMIES!

Kids all nestled in their beds...

I was sending step by step photos to Stann...THEN Christmas morning...Kids drove me crazy - they woke up at 3 am and I had to keep them in bed with threats of SANTA WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR TOYS IF YOU GET UP BEFORE 6 AM!

Santa brought the boys 3 presents each (small ones)...

Lots of spy stuff....Matt got a parascope and Josh was diggin' on it too...

Matt got a "spy kit" / "detective kit" in his stocking....{thank you $ tree}

Boys got the kid version of a snuggie...poncho style from Gramma McNamee...

Then, we went to my folks.  

Sadly...we didn't get to go to the McNamee celebration, as tradition dictates my family gets the first half of the day and the McNamee's get the evening portion.  Curt and Aimee had a conflict in their schedule so they had their Christmas celebration the same time the Hammies had theirs....

All the grandkids (minus Mike's kids...they didn't come up this year...)

Look at those faces!  Everyone was making silly faces...

Papa is in his favorite place...his leather rockin' chair holding a grandbaby...little Sophie didn't mind either....

Aunt Laura and Aunt Sharon came up - we so enjoyed having them with us!!!

LeeAndra and her husband James made it down here to...

Uncle Jake playing Santa...like the Christmas tree?  All 2 1/2 feet of it Josh and I put up and decorated..!

Little Sophie being so cute for Aunt Lizzy!  I love that girl!

Daddy made it home 3 days later and we had our own Christmas!!  Mommy snuggled up on the chair...just happy to have Daddy back!  Josh is starting to take really good pictures for a 6 yr old!

Daddy and his boys...

The boys got their Imaginext Dinosaurs....

Hanging out in the covert op's tent that Grandma Marcia bought...

Daddy made quite the haul this year...we missed him so much!

Grandma McNamee got the boys gift certificates to Build-A-Bear - the boys got money from Gigi and their great-grandmother (the bio-father's side) and they picked out their own stuffed animals at BaB - they were excited to pay for their own toy with their own "monies".  Matt got a German Shepherd that he named "Lieu" short for "Lieutenant" and Josh picked a Tabby Cat he named "Picky Picky".

Lastly...we got the boys laser tag guns.  Stann and I also bought some for us...it turned out to be a HUGE HIT in the entire Mac Fam - we found these guns on clearance at Walmart and we bought out the entire stock in the stores around town....We've had so much fun together playing in the dark around the house...going up to the church with friends and family in the gym and turning out the lights...

Once we got cousins and Uncle Curt to come play with us at the gym they were hooked too - and we've been able to have some epic battles! lol

Christmas was awesome and it was wonderful to be able to relax and enjoy family visiting and also remember and celebrate our Savior's birth.  I am so glad to have my family with me, around me and whole - that was the best holiday present ever.