Was That Just Christmas That Flew By?

I swear Christmas comes faster and faster every year and then is gone just as quickly. It must be a sign of getting older. We had our first ever Christmas morning at our own house for the first time ever since having kids. Usually we're in Chicago on Christmas morning. Bret's Grandma's health has been failing so we stayed here so that the whole family would be together for Christmas on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve at Bret's Mom & Dad's house.

Our immediate little family.

Ashley and Brooke wait for dinner to be ready.

Ryan got many more Legos.

Mitchell shared ALL of his presents with Ashley.

We got home around 10:30pm and set cookies and milk out for Santa, carrots for the reindeer and then off to bed the kids went.

Once the kids were in bed I begin to fullfill my promise to Ryan and set out to finish building his legos. (I had already spent an hour and a half building them before we got home.)

Little did I know that it would talk me until THIS TIME IN THE MORNING TO FINISH!

Doesn't look like it would take that long, does it? (Don't even go there!)

The kids were up early and I had gotten about 3 hours of sleep, but Ryan was thrilled with his Lego Airport. After opening gifts from Santa, we piled into the minivan and headed up to Chicago for "Christmas Afternoon".

Pampered Pooch.

We had a nice time up in Chicago at my mom's house and had dinner with my side of the family.

My brother Dave, Ryan and my Grandma.

I do think my brother breathed a sigh of relief when it was time for us to leave the next day. Ryan tested out his new toy nail gun on him for quite awhile.

It is now two days after Christmas and I've almost completed reclaiming my house. Yesterday I put away all of the Chrismtas decorations and today I took the tree down. Tomorrow's agenda includes finding a place for all of our new loot. Wish me sanity and luck, will you?