A Sullivan Family Christmas Eve

There are a few things that I am very thankful...stayed the same. Aunt Sissy and Uncle Danny still came over on Christmas Eve to celebrate with us. The day began with a dusting of snow, just enough to make it a white Christmas and to take Sophie outside to play! Well, it was fun until the poor puppy slipped and fell. :( This big ol' pup knows Aunt Sissy and Uncle Danny are coming, so she literally just stands at the window waiting and watching. We got ready for our evening snacks and family time. The kids did beg to open a gift so we let them open one. They both had matching gifts that were not new, but appreciated none the less...our galaxy note 5 phones! Taylor got her own "real" phone number and was ecstatic.

They finally got here! Let the festivities begin...present opening, food eating, and game playing! They loaded Tay up with tons of slime making supplies. Cases of shaving cream and a gallon of glue! Slime-making kits and a cute hedgehog. She also got $100! Blake got a gaming keyboard from them, as well as a couple drones and money too...which he kinda already spent on a crazy pair of shoes! They are so spoiled by Aunt Sissy and Uncle Danny!!! Even Sophie got a new blanket and a huge bed! She is worse than the kids, begging to open presents...she loves it so much, it's adorable to watch!

 

Taylor gave Bubby a hoodie that he was really wanting and he gave her a fitness tracker watch. They even hugged...awww! Blake got to open the shoes he has been waiting for, he was thrilled. He also got a replacement smart watch since his broke. Taylor got slippers and a drawing book that she has been wanting. Daddy picked his own gifts for his music studio, speaker monitor stands and a new microphone. We got him a harmonica and learning dvd. He also got coffee & super beets. I got the cross necklace that I've wanted for years, love it!! Taylor and Blake got me a keychain and Billy got me dollars to spend on my blog books..yay! He also got me two massagers, but i took them back and ordered a smartwatch...woops..lol. My sister got me a butter churn and a butter crock...love those too!

After gifts, we ate chips and dips, lil' smokies, cookies and candies. Then we played some new games. One was the white elephant dice game...it was fun to buy the $5 gifts, but playing it was weird because we already knew what most of the gifts were and exchanging kept bringing the kids to chose the gifts they bought. Maybe we were doing it wrong, but it was fun to see all the silly gag gifts. We ended the night with the reading of Twas' the night before Christmas and set out cookies and carrots for Santa and his reindeer. Thank you God, for giving us the best gift of all...your love and your son...Jesus!

December...Tis the Season!

This was a year of firsts for us, the first time we didn't decorate the tree on Thanksgiving night, the first time we didn't make an event of driving through Christmas lights, the first time that we didn't make an event of cookie baking, the first time we didn't put up two trees. We also changed up our advent calendar to be the nativity story with tiny ornaments to hang. It was cute and thoughtful but yet another FIRST TIME that we didn't fill it with special events and things to do each day. This is all very sad for me, but i am trying very hard to look at things differently. Just because something is different than the usual, doesn't mean that it's bad. Very hard for me. I guess I am a creature of habit and love the idea of traditions that never end....again, I said "idea". The idea of sipping hot cocoa while driving through a lights exhibit while listening to Christmas carols is the absolute perfect memory to make. In reality, making cocoa that will still warm by the time we get to the lights, that we have seen every single year for the last 10 identical years, no longer seemed exciting...so we skipped it. Yes, it tugs at my heart, the thought of letting traditions go, but as a family grows, what makes them happy changes too, so we will roll with it.

2017 Christmas Pictures

This is one thing that didn't change, we still did our family picture of the kids and our big speckled reindeer, Sophie pup. I began getting the room ready by clearing out some clutter and moving the couch, Sophie "knew" that we were getting ready for pictures because she WOULD NOT leave the room! She kept getting right by the tree and in the way, she loves being the center of the Christmas pics, otherwise she hates having her picture taken...lol. This year, I just used my phone for all the shots and they turned out really good! Merry Christmas from the Sullivan's!!!

4th Grade Winter Party

So glad I get to be a part of these fun days...

Orchestra & Pancakes with Santa

This was Taylor's first orchestra performance! She got to play her violin at the annual Pancakes with Santa event! They did a wonderful job playing background Christmas music while everyone enjoyed their pancake dinner. The pancakes were thrown by Chris Cakes, it's fun watching the kids (and adults) catch those cakes! We also got to see Ms. Byrnes, which was a special treat!

Thanksgiving Day

I started prepping for dinner the day before so I could chill a bit on turkey day...I even put the kids to work! We made mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, sweet potatoes with brown sugar topping, rolls & mac n' cheese to go with the turkey. Aunt Susie, Diana & Danny came to feast with us. Diana brought a ton of snacks and we also had pumpkin pie, impossible pie & cheesecake. A wonderful dinner, followed by LCR with scratch off tickets! Taylor was a lucky gal and scratched a $20 winner!!

We usually put up the tree and decorate it, but we were beat. It was nice to just sit on the couch and relax. The kids went to play and do their own thing, so good-bye 13 year streak of Thanksgiving night Tree decorating and Elf invites. I'm happy and sad at the same time. Good thing is...it gave Tay and I time to get plenty of rest to be up at the crack of dawn for Black Friday shopping! She insists that we go shop each year, so we shall. This time, it was so quiet it was almost eerie, no lines, no crowds, we had the stores to ourselves and really found nothing to buy...crazy. Later, we found out that all the good door buster items were over in the meat section...the one place we didn't go while at walmart! Oh well, it was a fun time with my girl and the sunrise was awesome!