IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE GUYS

We spent Christmas Eve this year at Tyler and Courtney's house. My parents were going to bring Chinese, but by the time they called to order it was going to be a late dinner. They showed up at around 8:30 and grumpy. So basically classic family Christmas dinner, got to get a little drama in for old times sake. Ashley got all of the kiddos slippers to open and everyone loved them. My mom brought a few gifts, but it was pretty low key.

That night when we got home we all opened our Christmas jammies and to everyone's utter surprise...they were matching!!! The girls got out cookies and carrots for Santa and then went to bed. I was feeling extra sentimental that night as I thought about my Christmas Eve 2017. Spending that holiday night in the PICU at the hospital will always haunt me for the years to come. But this year it was especially fresh and all of the emotions that I was trying to keep buried down deep (unsuccessfully) all December came flooding in. When I look at these two munchkins by the tree, I can't help but think of what brought them together as sisters. So much pain on this broken road to them being our daughters. Especially of course Vivien. I am so lucky to be their mother and I cherish all of these moments.

SALLAY FEAST OF FOOD AND GIFTS

On Sunday evening we all headed over to the Sallay estate for dinner and gifts. We got to meet the new baby Charles and see the John Sallay crew. There was so much food for dinner and all Vivi wanted was more shrimp. She LOVES her shrimp cocktail. After we had all eaten we went downstairs to open gifts. It was CHAOS. Iva and Steve tried to make it all civilized but as gifts started getting opened the kids went nuts. It was all I could do to just kind of shut off and go into my own little world. I didn't open anything, which was fine because Brent got to open the new wrenches that I put on my wish list for him. Honestly the whole gift giving time made me feel even stronger about my resolve to not buy lots of extra cousin gifts this year. It gets to be too much and I'm over it.

CHRISTMAS SUNDAY BEST

Didn't the Sallay family look smashing on Christmas Sunday this year? Church was two hours of music and it was awesome.

During the afternoon Stella, Brent and a little bit of Vivi took part in decorating this years gingerbread project. This year it was a little village.