Christmas 2013

Best Christmas of my life.

There seriously is something about having kids that makes Christmas ten times better than I ever remember it being.

Get ready for picture overload, and a quick summary of our Christmas.

On December 23rd, we had our annual Carter Christmas get-together.  This one was extra special because we were able to meet our cousin from California, Nicole, and her family for the first time.  Nicole has a little baby girl named Amelia (I think she's fourteen or fifteen months old) that is just Ellie's size, and they were so cute to watch together.  We ate our Christmas dinner, exchanged gifts and caught up with everyone - it was a lot of fun.  I was all gung-ho on taking pictures of everything.  I pulled out my camera and... NO memory card.  Awesome.  Haha.

Clayton worked most of the Christmas season unfortunately.  We only got him on Christmas Eve Day and Christmas night.  So we decided that we would open Ellie's presents from us on the morning of Christmas Eve so Clay could experience that morning magic with her on her first Christmas.

Clayton told me to comb her hair before he started taking pictures.  Yeah right?!  Who combs their hair before they open presents?  Haha. 

...opening presents!

Let's be real... Ellie didn't give a crap about opening presents, haha. I did most of the opening for her.  And she didn't really care about any of the presents once they were opened.  At one point of the chaos of that morning, I looked over and Ellie had crawled over to the (very dirty from the mud and snow) tile area by our front door where she sat, staring at the Santa and Snowman door hanging decorations I have.

Crawling EVERYWHERE!

Ellie got a little pink car, a sit and spin and a shopping cart, among other random baby toys.  

On her sit and spin. 

One of my favorite pictures from Christmas.  Ellie staring at her daddy as he puts her shopping cart together.  :)

Ellie and mom.  :)

I loved loved loved this morning.  Even though Ellie didn't care about presents or toys, spending this first morning together was the best.  I love my little family.

Later that night, we went to Syracuse to spend time with Clay's family.  We opened gifts with his family and hung out for awhile.  Grandma and Grandpa gave Ellie some books that they could record their voices reading the story to her.  Seriously such a great idea - especially since we don't get to see them very often (so she knows their voices).  We then went and ate dinner at Aunt Amber's house.  Ellie sat in the high chair at Aunt Amber's, and she was talking to EVERYONE.  It was adorable.   I only took like three whole pictures of the time we were there, we were running all over and my mind was elsewhere.  Ellie had some great bonding time with Grandma Ginger and Uncle Collin.  Uncle Collin had her laughing SO hard.  We did get video of that, and man.  It's cute.  

Ellie opening a present from Grandpa Bill and Grandma Ginger with her daddy.  

Since Clayton had to work Christmas Day, Ellie and I spent the night at my dad's house.  Ellie opened Christmas Eve PJs with her Aunt Kelsey and Aunt Kenzie.  

Christmas Eve PJs 

On Christmas morning, we woke up at 6 am.  I took tons of pictures of this day because I kept sending pictures to Clay's work e-mail to include him as much as we could in Christmas day.  Elliot was so confused.  She kept looking at me like "What is going on?!?!"

Early Christmas morning. 

Sitting on Great Grandma DeAnn.

I let Santa know to only bring a few presents to Grandpa Ross' house.  I knew Ellie was going to be spoiled rotten by her grandparents, and I didn't want to have a ton of crap, er, I mean toys, to bring home.  Santa was a great listener, and only brought Ellie three little presents and a cute little stocking.  I apologize - all of these are cell phone pictures.  I guess it's better than having no pictures.  I was constantly taking pictures and e-mailing them to Clayton, so the cell phone had to do.

Ellie Christmas morning with her Santa presents and stocking. 

Checking herself out in Aunt Kelsey's new mirror.  

Of course, Grandpa Ross bought her her first article of camo clothing.  It says "I Hunt for Hugs."  It's soooooo cute!

Reading her new book with mom.

Having a picnic with her new picnic basket from Grandpa and Grandma. 

Having a picnic with Uncle Adam who came to visit.  :)

Relaxing later in the afternoon in Aunt Kenzie's new chair. 

My dad's present to us this year was a plane ticket to Virginia.  We are all going - dad's family and Janae's family - in June.  Can't wait!  Whitney and John and Adam, Janae and Leksa came over Christmas afternoon and opened a few more gifts.  We watched Miracle, and later than afternoon around four thirty or so, we decided it was time to go to my mom's house.  We loaded up in John and Whit's car, and off we went.  Gordon and Clayton both got off at six, and they both showed up a little after seven.  We ate the most AMAZING Christmas dinner.  Seriously.  My mom is THE best cook.  Her mashed potatoes are to DIE for.  The turkey was so tender.  Grandma Calton's homemade stuffing, green bean casserole.  Fudge and Grandma Tina's gingerbread.  Oh man.  I was in heaven.  Ellie was so tired.  My mom held her so I could eat dinner, and the next thing I knew, she fell asleep on my mom's cheek.  But in true Ellie fashion - she was awake like twenty minutes later.  And boy oh boy, was she miserable!  She isn't a good napper anyways - but Christmas was just too much to handle.  We ate until we couldn't eat anymore, and then it was time to open gifts.  I must mention here... growing up, Brandon, Whitney and I always split Christmas Eve and Day between dad's house and mom's house - leaving Cody all alone on Christmas day.  He ALWAYS waited for us to come home - no matter the hour - before opening gifts.  What eight year old boy waits to open presents Christmas day with his siblings?  He's 16 now, so it's a little easier to wait (haha), but I think that alone speaks volumes to what an amazing kid he is. Anyways... soapbox over.  Speaking of brothers.... we draw names in mom's family.  Brandon drew my name for a second year in a row.  He didn't have tissue paper, so he used a balloon to fill my gift bag.  He also drew a heart on the right side of the balloon.  Lately I've been playing this game on my phone called Pocket Trains.  Brandon thinks it's stupid.  So on the left side of the balloon, he made fun of me by drawing a train....in a a pocket.    Eric, Dorie, Isaac and Hannah stopped by to say hello, and we began opening gifts.  

First Christmas... hard work!!

Brandon's work of art. 

Did I mention I have the world's best brothers?  Brandon gave me the most thoughtful gift.  A necklace with different charms - the letter "E", a "mama" charm, a pink baby carriage and Ellie's birthstone.  I opened it and immediately began crying.  I'm in love with it.  I think today is the first day I haven't worn it, and that's partly because I just woke up (I worked a grave last night.)

Here it is!!

Ellie was so fussy.  We seriously started rushing through presents because she was so cranky.  So to make her happy, we put her in a box.

When we were finished opening presents at my mom's, we STILL had to go back to my dad's so Clay could open his present from me.  He knew what he was getting - a gun - but he didn't know what kind.  So to shake things up a bit, I created a scavenger hunt that led him all over my dad's house.  We got there a little after nine, and Clay began his hunt - which led him ALL over the house and even outside!!  The third to the last clue led him to the oven.  I had placed a handgun case inside.  He got all excited, pulled out the case, and realized it was empty.  He opened it to get a clue that led him to a case of bullets from my sister under the tree, which then led him to the closet - where his new Winchester 7 mag was hiding.  He was a happy, happy boy.  Ellie was happier at my dad's - there's something about my little sisters that make her giggle non-stop - but it was time to go.  By the time we got home, it was 10:30.  We were beat.  But I had to take a picture of Clay and Ellie and his new gun.  

He's such a babe.  

In case you are wondering - I've been wearing Clay's Christmas present to me for the last three months. I got wedding bands on either side of my engagement ring.  This was exactly what I had in mind when I designed the ring two years ago.  It's now complete - and I couldn't be happier with it.

Christmas was a blast.  It was busy, and I'm pretty sure I'm still recovering from it and it still looks like Santa threw up pink Christmas all over my house - but it was a great day.  The only thing that could have made it better was if Clay got to experience it all with us.  He is such an amazing provider - we are SO lucky to have him.  

Ellie was spoiled rotten.  I need another room in my apartment now just for her toys.  I guess that's what happens when you are the only grandbaby on all sides and mom and dad's only kid. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can't wait until next Christmas (what?!?!).  I think by next year, Ellie will be more interested in babies/dolls, and I'll be able to introduce the baby Jesus to her, which is what this season is REALLY all about.  

I am so blessed.  It's been a hard year full of ups and downs and new adventures.  I've learned so much this last year, and I can't believe it's already over.  Is time going to keep going this fast?? Jeesh!!  Enjoy a few last Christmas pictures from our fam. 

My family - my whole world.  Christmas night 2013. 

I hope your Holidays were merry and bright. :)