our christmas at home

We are back from our week long trip. Layla has expressed over and over again how happy she is to be home. Not that we didn't have a wonderful time in Oregon. We did. And Layla especially loved playing with her cousins there. But there is something about being back in your own room and own bed at night surrounded by your own familiar stuff.

We are also now recovered from a stomach bug passed through all of the kids over the first weekend of the new year.

School has started again, but a late start due to snow and eye dr appointments haven't allowed us any time to get back into a routine yet.

So I am stealing a chance to quickly upload some simple photos of a happy day of our Christmas at home.

Before we loaded up the mini-van for the trip to Oregon to celebrate Christmas with cousins, aunts, uncle, and grandparents, we had an early Christmas at home. My favorite part of the Christmas celebration has become watching my children exchange gifts with each other. And second to that is giving them the gifts that Eric and I picked out for them. We opened those gifts so carefully picked and lovingly wrapped one by one. Each person waited so patiently for his turn and the spirit of love and giving permeated the room.

Eric surprised me with the nicest gift of all. He gave me a plane ticket for a weekend in Arizona to visit my grandpa and to meet my new nephew. It was such a big, unexpected surprise and I'm looking forward to that weekend. I really have the sweetest husband.