Two Christmases

Since we were going to Adam's for Christmas, we celebrated our own Christmas here at home on the 22nd. It didn't feel like Christmas, and we didn't have any decorations up. 

I put a wreath I made on the door and we set the gifts on a table near it. That was it. But the kids were good with it. It has been hard on them too coming home to huge debris piles all down our street since it's a small street and the city didn't bother to clear the debris like they did on the bigger streets. The condition of the house has been discouraging too. But Christmas is about hope, and we all need hope.

Although Kaleb knew the plan was to get everything done we needed to so we could celebrate, he decided to make life miserable for Rick. That's his usual Saturday behavior. Ty and I have been traveling to a flea market 90 minutes away on Saturdays, and the others have been working on the house. Kaleb likes to do the opposite of everything he's told, then act innocent.

After coming home and hearing about his consistently poor behavior, I told him that he had to write what he should have done instead. He decided not to do it thinking he'd ruin our celebration by his stubbornness.  

Instead, I removed him until he decided he could do what he was told. Then he'd be allowed to join us. Any other day that would not have been an option. He would have given up the activity.

 I miss the years of having everyone here for Christmas, but times change and children grow up and go out on their own. Normally everyone who can joins us here on Christmas eve, but the condition of our house didn't allow for that this year. We didn't want the babies where there is black mold, and most of our shop contents is still in the house.

This Christmas will always be the Christmas with the cats/kittens.

 We all spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day at Adam's house 3 hours away.

 Front: Jasmine, 17 Middle: Kayla 13, Jessica 27, Kaleb, 13 Back: Adam 23, Hunter, 30, Tyler, 28

Everyone spent most of the day playing, hanging out and playing board games.

Christmas Eve

Traditionally everyone comes over on Christmas Ever to celebrate. That way they can have Christmas mornings with their own families. Only Jeff and Ashley were missing. This was River's second Christmas and Winter's first Christmas. I put pulled pork in the crock pot, and everyone comes over after the Christmas Eve service. Tyler missed service this year because he worked, and the rest of us missed it because the dogs snuck out of the gate, and Travis returned bloody and injured right before we were going to leave.

River, 23 months

Adam and Jasmine

River

Tara with Jessica's baby, Winter, 8 months

Adam, Tara and Kealen

Winter, 8 months, this was a few days before Christmas eve

 Hunter, Jessica, River and Winter

Group photo left to right, Rick (Grandpa), Jessica holding Winter, Hunter, Kayla, 12, Me (Gigi), River barely visible between Adam and me, Jasmine in from of me, Kaleb next to Jasmine, Tara holding Kealen, Tyler in back

 Kayla

 Jessica with River

 Tyler with his gift from Jasmine

Winter with her ball from Jasmine

 River with a Wish and Spin Shine I gave her

Tara, Kealen and Adam

 Kaleb

Uncle Adam gave River a broom and mop set

Kealen with a Thomas play bank I gave him

Winter

Winter and Uncle Adam

Jasmine and Tara

The boys

I will be posting more photos soon.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is when the adult children come over to exchange gifts. Even before I had adult children, Christmas Eve is when we got stocking gifts and "kid bought" gifts. That part is still the same, the difference is that we also give out the gifts to those who don't live in the house. Then Christmas morning is for those still in the house.

So here are some photos of Christmas Eve. I played around with the filters on some of them.

River loved the ornaments. So we ended up taking the ends off of several so she could safely play with them. So thankful for the new shatterproof ornaments. Now if they were only scatterproof!

She was very willing to show off her walking skills.

Same picture, three color tones.

Kealen "Keke"

Siblings

More sibs

And more sibs

Photo bomb

Opening Aunt Jazzy's present

Showing off his sweatshirt from Aunt Lou

No,she didn't get Rizzoli and Isles for Christmas!! Gigi got that.

In her Paw Patrol pjs

I bought Paw Patrol pjs for both, but I bought a size big in case of shrinkage.

This was all just Christmas Eve. I'll post Christmas Day tomorrow. LOTS going on her yesterday and today, but most of the celebrating was on Christmas Eve.

This was a rough Christmas for Tara because her mom died last January, her father is in prison as is her son's father. So she is 19 and has a 3 year old special needs child she is trying to raise alone along with trying to work full time to support them both. So please keep her in your prayers.

Jasmine and I got her a special ornament in memory of her mom and a card, and she posted a photo of them on facebook.