How blessed we are! Brett and I love and very much look forward to Christmas time (as I'm sure everyone else does:)) We did some fun Christmas things before Christmas. We went to the IMAX to see The Christmas Carol and out to dinner with our Cadwell Clan. Brett and I even stayed downtown that night! Thanks to my Uncle Richard and Aunt Lisa, we got to experience Christmas Eve on the Connor Prarie with two of my favorite cousins!
We packed up on the 20th, and were home for 12 days!!
First stop.. Neier Christmas. We have so much fun watching all of the kids play and get their present from Santa! The picture to the left is all the girls cousins (Minus 2.) This is our traditional picture with our antlers. The gold antlers are reserved for anyone who is engadged!
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday, Brett and I stayed with his mom and dad. I love spending one on one time with Vickie, and staying up late talking (even though I do 90% of the talking) We had fun wrapping presents together too. I got to see Danika & Kadin too.. and spent some time going bowling with them! I scored my best ever! 178! Believe it or not!!!
On Christmas Eve, we go to the Kessler's during the day. This is one of Brett and I's favorite traditions. We first have to find the hidden "socks" (I love how G-ma & G-pa call the stockings that:)) and then we eat the best Chicken & Noodles! After lunch, we listen to Grandpa Kessler read the Christmas story, and then we all write a note to Jesus, giving him a gift. Gma & Gpa Kessler send us what we wrote exactly 6 months later! We feel so blessed receiving gifts from the aunts and grandparents too! We have fun the rest of the day playing game after game with one another!
Christmas Eve night we go to my Mom & Dad's for one of the best meals of the year! My mom goes all out and does an amazing job with dinner.. featuring Prime Rib! This year Ashlee made Krem Brulet! This year was emotional, as my dad sat at on end of the table looking at my mom at the other end and his four girls filling the table with their husbands. The kids were all in the kitchen at their own table. He talked about how proud he was of each one of us, and why he feels so blessed by how each one of us turned out.
I sat their looking at each member of my family, and thinking the same thing! I have a mom and dad who love me so much, and who never hesitates to tell me how much they love me and how proud they are of me.. I have 3 sisters who are my three best friends! Each one of them is such a blessing in my life; their husbands who are now three of Brett's greatest friends, and how thankful I am how much they love each one of my sisters. My three nephews and my niece who have brought so much job to my life! Brett and I's child growing inside me.. created by the Lord himself, BRETT, who I don't deserve to have as my husband!... my two niece or nephews on the way and how much of a blessing they are and will be to our lil guy, and above all else.. the realization of why we celebrate Christmas. GOD, knowing what He knew about his Son's death, sent him anyway, to come to this earth in a form of a baby, so that one day when He died for us on the cross, that each one of my family members, who I love so much will have eternal life together!
As you can see, what a blessing all of this was to me!!! Besides ALL of those things, Brett and I were blessed beyond measure with gifts from my parents!
The next morning, Brett and I wake up very early and travel to Avon to spend Christmas morning with his mom and dad. This is another very special time for us. As you walk in the door, you can smell the breakfast! All 8 of us sit down for our breakfast and then we get to open our stockings. Vickie and Dusty are great gift givers, and Vickie spends so much time on each present, you don't want to open it because it looks so pretty! Dusty always has "surprise" gifts that nobody knows about. I love seeing everyone open the gifts that we gave. Ryan, Lanell and the kids are so fun to watch as they open their gifts from us, because you can tell how much they like them. Ryan pulled the tags off immediately, Lanell takes off her necklace and replaces it with the one that we gave her, Danika begins on her yarn craft thing we got her, and Kadin begins putting his nerf gun together before opening another gift:)
After the Cadwell's, we all got ready and celebrated ANOTHER Christmas with Dusty's family! We have a lot of fun with this side because of the traditions! The next day we spent with the Penrod's. I LOVE seeing this side. They come at 11am and leave at 11pm:)
Brett and I are so blessed to be apart of two amazing families. We talk about and thank God for the blessings he has poured upon us. Every Christmas event we went to, we would think and dream about what it would be like a year from now!!!! Until then, we will thank God for what he has given us and enjoy kick and moment inside my belly:):)
