Christmas!

We had a great Christmas at home! This is the 1st Christmas that we were either not hosting family or not traveling to visit family in years! Shayna was home with us and we had a really great, mellow day...although we missed being with our families! We love you guys! :)
We really enjoyed the peace that only Christmas time can bring...Zach slept most of the day but was up LATE Christmas night. So Gary, me and Zach came out to the family room and only turned on the tree lights...the peace and warmth of the season is unmatchable! There is something magical in the air...we talked about how Mary and Joseph were up all night with Jesus as we have been with Zach...and what that would of been like for them...to know they were caring for the king of the world. And that they had him for the time being all to themselves in the quite (when he wasn't crying of course) of the night....
So we added a few things to our Christmas tradition this year. Makenzie and Zach bought Daddy a snow cone machine and we ate snow cones Christmas morning! That will definitely be a ritual! Daddy was in heaven! Gary LOVES cherry snow cones!
Makenzie got a bounce house! She LOVES it! It is perfect for her playroom on cold and rainy days and during the summer we can put it up outside.
We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Enjoy the pics...

The joy and excitement on her face is so precious!

Mommy giving the Elves a dinner break from putting toys together! We had a ball putting all the toys together!

Precious Shayna...

Daddy and Mak taking a rest on her new afghan from Grandma Pat!

Maki opening her afghan from Grandma! She was so excited! THANKS Grandma Pat!

Daddy reading the Christmas story...he was not so happy with Mommy when I pulled the camera out...I seriously have an addiction to taking pics! SORRY GARY I'm trying to cut back! :)

Shayna and Mak having a tea party and watching Little Bear! Thanks for getting us hooked cousin Ana! :)

Christmas Tree Hunting!

We went to Halfmoon Bay this afternoon to cut down our Christmas Tree! We had such a great time! The lot is huge but we actually found our tree right away! Makenzie loved just hiking around in all the trees! We are so excited Christmas season is here! Happy Birthday Jesus! :) We are trying to be much more deliberate this year now that Makenzie is 2 1/2 about what the true meaning of Christmas is...as much as she can understand at this precious age...this AM we were playing with play-dough and we made a cross and I said "do you remember Mak, this is where Jesus died for you?" and she said "thank you Jesus." My gosh I love this child!

If He was not born, He could not of died...If He did not die, He could not of risen...If He did not rise from the dead, I would still be aimlessly walking the desert. Truly, Happy Birthday Jesus!

Shay and Mak in the caboose!

So angelic!

no more pictures Mommy!

helping Daddy cut down the tree!

NESTING!

Nesting has been the theme around our home for the last few weeks! You should see Gary's "honey-do" list! Poor guy! I am so crazed! He has worked his way down the list just for me to think of more things to add to it...but he has happily done every task WITHOUT complaint. And trust me, some of the random things I have requested have deserved a BIG complaint! He just says "nesting is done once the baby comes right?". I can't believe how supportive and patient he has been in my obsessiveness! THANKS GARY! :)
So last week my Mom came up for a couple of days and it was so GREAT! Not because she organized my pantry and cupboards, and not because she organized Makenzie's playroom, or because she organize Makenzie's closet, cooked, cleaned and even babysat Maki so I could go to coffee with a friend! But it was GREAT just to have her here! Yes, I am SO GRATEFUL for all her hard work...and I worked her! She knocked off a few things on G's honey-do list too so he was so thankful too! She is just such a fun lady! Thanks for all the laughs Mom! And Mak had a blast with Tita! They had so much fun playing together!
I was thinking this AM about Mary and how she must of felt carrying the "king of the world" and how strong her nesting instinct must of been! And she didn't even have a home to nest! She had a donkey and probably a bag of belongings. How upset she must of been when they got to the Inn and they only had space outside in the manger for her and Joseph. How sad! And I was thinking how important it is to me to have everything in it's place for our new baby. My Mom said something so profound that it has just been ringing in my ears! "The only thing that baby needs is you and Gary and how much you both love him!"...Wow, what a thought...he doesn't need my pantry to be organized or my laundry room organized! He just needs to know how much his Mommy and Daddy love him...He just needs us! Not the "stuff" that I think is so important for his first few months...He just needs us! What a reality check for me! Thanks Tita for all your help and incite! :) Here are a few pics...

Kisses!

Big hugs!

Maki really thought Tita should wear a bib for her meal! So cute!