Christmas Eve and Day ended up being our 2 most relaxing days of the entire holiday season.  Normally we'd be celebrating with our immediate families but this year was a bit different.  Erik's side didn't celebrate until the Saturday after Christmas, they usually get together Christmas Eve.  And since my parents were in Kansas City with my brother and his family over Christmas, we didn't celebrate with them until the Sunday after Christmas, normally we get together Christmas Day.  That left just the 4 of us to enjoy each other's company with nothing to do and nowhere to be (except the Christmas Eve service at church).  It was amazing!

A family picture before church on Christmas Eve

After church we let the boys open 1 gift each and then we had popcorn and punch and watched a Christmas movie.  Well, everyone except Mason, he had a few puffs before bed :-)

I love this picture because it fully encapsulates Erik.  That is "the look" I get from him All. The. Time.  As you can see, Kade is starting to master the same look.  I can't help that I'm super cool and they wish they could be :-)  Trust me, when Erik reads this I'll get that look again.

The next morning the boys sort of slept in--I think they made it until about 6:45!  It was a Christmas miracle!!  We had a big breakfast and took our time opening gifts.  I was impressed with Kade's restraint, he didn't just tear into every gift in less than 20 seconds.  He would open one, we'd put it together for him and then he'd play with it for a little bit before opening another gift.

Mason's favorite gift.  He spent most of the day in that ball pit.  Unfortunately it no longer looks like that.  There is now a plethora of holes and the entire left side is deflated.

Kade has discovered that if he wants to play in a Mason Free Zone, he needs to put his toys up high.  Our dining room table is now Kade's Domain.

Mason is going to be riding in style this summer!  

I couldn't resist buying the big bear for Mason because our nickname for him is "Bear Cub".  He's playful, he's into everything he shouldn't be, he's strong and you should see the paws on that kid!  His hands are huge!  And when he crawls they look just like a bear cub's paws--hence the name :-)  The poor kid was teething over Christmas so there wasn't a whole lot of smiling going on.