A Walk Down Memory Lane...

Here are some highlights from this Holiday Season! We have had a lot of fun celebrating Christmas with our loved ones!

This year, we took Ethan and Nyah to the Festival of Trees. We each picked out our favorite tree! Ethan and Nyah loved this glass blown tree that lit up in time to music. It was amazing!

Marty was quite impressed with this little playhouse. Too bad it was already sold,...or he may have purchased it. (for the twins ofcourse)

My favorite was this beautiful tree trimmed with deep reds, oranges, and browns. Yes,...I am a sucker for anything with Fall colors!

My side of the family decided to put together a gingerbread village. Some of it is actual gingerbread and other parts are made with graham crackers! The theme was "Story Time Christmas" It included: the Train that Could, the Who-ville christmas tree (from the Grinch), Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Hansel and Gretel. The Empire State Building,....was an added bonus!

Each year, Nana  hosts the "Cousin Christmas Party!" This year was so much fun. The kids ate a yummy dinner and waited anxiously for the gifts and games. The cousins exchange little gifts and it is quite the exciting frenzy! One of the most memorable traditions is the advent calendar. Each child gets the oportunity to pick an ornament off the advent tree and locate their treat after they solve the riddle. (you can see them lined up in the picture above as they anxiously await their turn) Also, every year a family member reads stories to the kids teaching the significance of Christmas. The stories include: The Christmas Spider, The Christmas Orange, and the Candy Cane Story. Then,...Santa delivered gifts from the North Pole (left on the front door step) to all the Children. It was a lot of fun and we really love being with the Cousins!

Aunt Debi (Marty's sister) made these adorable cupcakes for the Cousin Christmas Party! She is so talented! Each cupcake was a unique ornament!

Ethan loving the Christmas festivities!

After trying to play some Christmas music on the piano, I was quickly bombarded by my cute babies who insisted on playing their own musical masterpieces. Here is Nyah playing something beautiful!

Ethan and Nyah in their winter hats! So cute!

Our family on Christmas Eve at Marty's parents' home. We showed up in our new PJ's! It is tradition that we open a new pair of jammies on Christmas Eve!

Daddy helping Ethan open some presents!

Uncle Darren flew in from LA to spend time with the family! He is so funny and just adores the kids!

Aunt Debi spending time with Nyah on Christmas Eve. She sat on her lap all night....So cute!

Mark, Marty's brother, opening one of his gifts!

Mitch, Angie, Cayden, and Sydney on Christmas Eve!

Nana opening part of her gift from our family!

This is one of my favorite decorations my mom would put out at Christmas time. She handpainted each figurine and always displayed them with twinkling white lights.

This is my mom's beautiful pink tree! Since my mom passed away, we have made it a tradition to decorate her pink tree in her formal living room! I missed my mom terribly this year and it felt really good to spend time remembering her as we decorated her beautiful tree.

With the exception of Paige (my sister) and her families' stockings, we placed each of our stockings on my Dad's stone fireplace wall. Mom hand-made each stocking with every new addition to the family. Kristy has since taken over. Last year, we made new ones for Ethan, Nyah, and Leah. This year.,....Baby Taylor was represented. You'll have to ask me the story behind each stocking! Each has a special meaning to our family!

Lots of stockings in our family!