It's so strange how the Christmas season seems to start so early, yet when we get down to the actual day, it flies by and I can't believe it's over. It's like it was just a dream. A magical dream.
It began the day before Christmas eve (at my brother's house) and ended Christmas night, and I loved every minute of it. We all enjoyed quality family time, we watched the delight on the kids' faces as they gave gifts to one another, discovered new toys and played with their cousins, and we shared moments of peace as we ate elegant meals together, listened to beautiful music, and celebrated the real meaning of Christmas.
Traditions, old and new, were all around. The magical thing about Christmas Eve is that it's at my parents' house; so I go up the SAME staircase to the SAME corner of the family room where I ran to each Christmas morning with my brother and sisters.
And now OUR children are doing it with us.
Another magical thing is the generational bonds. My uncle Dennis came from New York, which we always love. While he's here he likes to mingle with our kids (he doesn't have any of his own, so we give him his dose of kids and grandkids) and teach them the important things in life. Like how to crack nuts
and open wine...
It's so fun for us all to have him here.My wonderful grandmother can still connect with the little ones too. They love her, and they know she's a very special person in our family.
She even attempted to figure out a smart phone! 
She always reminds us of how much we have and how little we actually really NEED. It's so true (As I look at my living room that has turned into a toy store and wonder where it will all fit. Ugh).
Christmas morning was just as magical, with just our family of 4 sitting around the tree together. Jack got a Polar Express train, and he was in love with it. He couldn't stop running it and watching it pass by as he re-enacted the movie. 
Alice, was in princess heaven. She has been into nothing but PINK and PRINCESSES. And that's pretty much what she got. By the end of the morning, she was running her own little day care and veterinary clinic (oh yeah, she loves animals too). She took such good care of her babies. She is going to be a good mama someday.
Because Jack wasn't feeling well on Christmas Eve, we ended up changing our plans of going to the family Christmas Mass and decided to go on Christmas morning. What a nice change. It was not a church packed with families, all trying to just "get church in" before the parties. It was calm, peaceful, and beautiful. There was a heavenly chorus with percussion and brass instruments, the 4 of us had an entire pew to ourselves, and the kids were so good. It was a Christmas miracle! We decided to go to the Blue Angel for a little diner lunch afterwards, which was also really fun. And a NEW tradition was born. 
And I sat and took in the last hours of Christmas.
She even attempted to figure out a smart phone! She always reminds us of how much we have and how little we actually really NEED. It's so true (As I look at my living room that has turned into a toy store and wonder where it will all fit. Ugh).My favorite thing about Christmas though, is the love and smiles. EVERYWHERE.
It was a wonderful night, but it was time to get home and to bed. The boys heard Santa was on his way...
Christmas morning was just as magical, with just our family of 4 sitting around the tree together. Jack got a Polar Express train, and he was in love with it. He couldn't stop running it and watching it pass by as he re-enacted the movie. Alice, was in princess heaven. She has been into nothing but PINK and PRINCESSES. And that's pretty much what she got. By the end of the morning, she was running her own little day care and veterinary clinic (oh yeah, she loves animals too). She took such good care of her babies. She is going to be a good mama someday.Because Jack wasn't feeling well on Christmas Eve, we ended up changing our plans of going to the family Christmas Mass and decided to go on Christmas morning. What a nice change. It was not a church packed with families, all trying to just "get church in" before the parties. It was calm, peaceful, and beautiful. There was a heavenly chorus with percussion and brass instruments, the 4 of us had an entire pew to ourselves, and the kids were so good. It was a Christmas miracle! We decided to go to the Blue Angel for a little diner lunch afterwards, which was also really fun. And a NEW tradition was born. Later in the afternoon, it was off to Jamie's parents' house for a lot more presents and more yummy food and fun family time.
Alice wanted to help her Gram-O make her awesome yorkshire pudding.
And I sat and took in the last hours of Christmas. Did I mention I got a new lens for my camera?! I am having so much fun with it!
Jack kept asking me on Christmas, "Is Christmas over? Is this 25?! (because he had been keeping track on an advent calendar)." He was so bummed, and I remembered that feeling as a kid. But I tried to tell him to continue to enjoy it, because it was still going on. I wish I could hold on to the magic of Christmas all year long, but I know it quickly gets lost in the shuffle of everyday life. It's something to work for though. Until then,
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
p.s. More photos to come on my next post
(Jack's teachers gave them all birthday crowns for Jesus' birthday)
The stockings are hung by the staircase with care....
