Christmas Day

Per tradition, Luke was the first one downstairs on Christmas morning, followed by Amelia. Then Luke, Amelia and I wait for Addison and Daddy to wake up.  Amelia and Luke are literally trembling with excitement looking at the presents and asking, "Can we wake them up yet?"

They must have been extra nice this year because Santa hooked them up!

Although we usually utilize the pickle tradition (whichever child finds the hidden pickle ornament gets to open the first gift) this year that absent minded Santa forgot to hide it.  So, Amelia and Luke both said Addison could open the first present, I am sure they decided it would be less painful for all of us to let her go first.  

Everyone is full of LOVE on Christmas morning.  

Hugs all around.  

Time for all the fun, excited smiles and expressions!

Yipee!!!  "I always wanted these when I saw them!"

"This is the very thing I asked Santa for and I will love it forever!!"

Amelia was VERY excited to get her Northface jacket.  

Santa brought Luke a Bears jersey despite my protests.  

He has worn it just about everyday since opening it.  

After we open all the Santa presents we relax for a bit and make breakfast.  

Then we head into the living room where  presents from our family all across the country await us.  

Many more squeals and shouts and smiles.

My boys.

Mimi showing off the beautiful ornament she made us.  

Addison made an ornament too from her little fingerprints.  

The puppies just move room to room with us, just happy to be on a lap.  

After playtime with all of our new presents (and nap time for mommy and daddy), we headed over to Grandpa's for a delicious Christmas dinner he prepared.  It was wonderful and relaxed and I apparently was too relaxed because I fell asleep... again.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve finally arrived and the season of waiting was almost over.  The kiddos sure look forward to our Christmas Eve church fellowship party and were counting down the hours until our friends arrived.

Ta Da!  Our Happy Birthday Jesus cake:)

Nell and I host the party together and now have this shin dig down to an exact science.  Although don't tell our husbands because we still like to have lots of "planning meetings."

Merry Christmas Eve!

Addison and Sarah sharing a Christmas hug while playing with the Nativity.

Lizzie and Amelia, love, love, love.

Some of the boys (and Ann Hollis) in a rare shot when they weren't playing football.

Hayden, Amelia, Lizzie and Mckenzie.  So thankful for these girls.

Addison reads a story to Tommy every Christmas Eve.

Time to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus!  I love this sweet tradition.

Addison was SUPER excited for cake.  

Merry Christmas Eve from the Boskovich Family!

Now that is a whole lotta cuteness.

Our whole crew, ready to head out to Christmas Eve church.

Have you ever seen anything so precious in your life?  It makes my heart hurt just a little because she is getting so big.  

We praised and worshiped and adored and Silent Nighted by candle light (our family's favorite church tradition) and now it was time to lay out cookies and milk for the Big Man in Red!

I love this time after church while the kids are getting ready for bed.  Their excitement is palpable!

One last Christmas Eve picture before getting snug in their beds.

Too cute not to be on the "nice list."

Holiday Happenings...

Luke and Amelia posing with Twitch, our Elf on the Shelf.  Amelia is holding the giant Hersey bar because her teacher rewarded her with it for having the most Accelerated Reading points in the entire 5th grade (around 400 students).  Her class also had the most Accelerated Math points, not only in the entire 5th grade but also in the history of our school.  LOVE Amelia's teachers this year, what a blessing they are.  

Luke was all decked out for school, bringing his glad tidings with him.

We squeezed in another trip to Bellingrath Gardens to enjoy the millions of lights.  

We went with our friends the Gordons this year and we got to bundle up, it was COLD!!

Halfway through walking, I looked at Addison and realized that she is in fact wearing the EXACT outfit Amelia wore to Bellingrath Gardens the first year we ever went.  And I mean, exact-same jeans, snowman fleece, coat, hats and mittens.  I guess it is our Bellingrath uniform.

So pretty.

Amelia's class Christmas party with Mrs. Manning.

I host our December book club and we did an ornament exchange.  It was a fun night with a great group of ladies.

My friend, Jenny Gordon, and I took our girls to see the Nutcracker at The Saenger Theatre.  A few of the children's friends even performed in the show as mice and unicorns so that was extra special.  

Love my sweet girls.

Amanda and Addison, best buddies.

While at the Nutcracker we ran into our friends Turner and Oden from The Children's House, love to run into our friends everywhere we go.  

Bye Bye Mini, Hello Abe!

Mini has been so good to us over the last 8 years.  We brought her home when we had baby number two and we have spent a lot of time in her.  She moved us across country to Mississippi and brought home another baby safely for us.  We will miss you Mini!

Say hello to Abe.  It's a Lincoln, get it? Abe?  I love the name and it cracks me up.  The oldest two are all for Abe, and love it; but the youngest has protested and calls the car "Daisy."  

Either way, we have been enjoying our new car so much.  The car is definitely smarter than me and always lets me know if I am doing something wrong by lighting up or buzzing or beeping.  I am hoping I will have time soon to sit down and read the owner's manual so I actually know how to use all the cool things.  So for now, if I accidentally call you from my car, sorry.  I was probably trying to use voice recognition to play a song or set my navigation.  

The Children's House Christmas Program

It is Addison' 2nd year at The Children's House and she was all geared up to sing in her Christmas program this year.  She enjoys her friends there but I think she would have been just fine if she was a solo act.

Addison really sang out strong this year and we could definitely hear her sweet little voice.

There is nothing more precious than listening to three, four and five year olds sing Away in the Manger and Go Tell It On the Mountain.  It will open your heart right up to the joy of Christmas!

After the singing performance, the children are brought into the Fellowship Hall where Santa is waiting for them!  This is the moment you realize that a Montessori school is scary good.  Forty preschool age children, FORTY!!!!   And yet, they walk into the Fellowship Hall, a kindergartner holding a three year olds hand, and they have the biggest smiles on their faces.  But they are calm and sweet and patient and they sweetly sit down in front of Santa.  There is no, "I can't see!" "Move!" "Stop touching me!"  Just calm, sweet children listening to Santa read Twas the Night Before Christmas.  

This is why after my kids being home all summer with me, I say to my husband, "They need some Montessorring."  I am like the anti-Montessori human, anxious and impatient.  But that is the miracle of Christmas, that this tiny baby came to save our imperfect, non-Montessori selves.  

Santa stays throughout the day so the children do not have to wait to talk with Santa and there is no line or limit to visits with Santa.  Addison, not surprisingly, took full advantage of this; visiting with Santa five or six times.  I heard her say to Santa on of the visits, "Guess who's baaaack?"   

This was a classic moment that I am SO glad I captured.  (Our elf on the shelf's name is Twitch).  This is Addison saying to Santa and I quote, "Soooo, um, what has Twitch been telling you?" 

Santa did not miss a beat and understood Twitch was one of his elves and he gave me a look and a nod and he told Addison that she has been a very good girl this year.  Well, obviously Addison was thrilled and relieved with this news because she immediately did this...

A giant relief hug.  

Celebrating with our littlest one.