A Very Milam Christmas 2013

       I thought I should make a pit stop and share some images from the holidays with y'all. Our Christmas season was busy and chaotic, just like most are. We tried to fit in a fair share of festivities, but also kept life as simple as we could. I had just about all of my shopping done by Thanksgiving, which helped relieve some of the holiday pressures. If you didn't get a card from us, you weren't forgotten. I just couldn't pull it off this year.
       I think there is so much pressure on us to do soooo much during the holidays. From Elf on the Shelf, homemade Advent calendars, Polar Express outings, family photo shoots so that you have just the perfect holiday card, holiday pajamas, fancy party outfits, and the list goes on.  This year I was really feeling like it was all just a bit too much. I was really and truly trying to just keep it all together. Despite all of the pressures, it really was a very blessed season for us. Our little family had so much to celebrate and be thankful for.

Quincy had her first encounter with the big guy this year. 

Nolan wouldn't get close, and I didn't pressure him.

He did however really enjoy the candy canes Santa was giving out.
He proceeded to talk about candy canes the whole month of December.

Nope, my kids just aren't the type that embrace Kris Kringle.

My resort does it up every holiday season.

Jon brought the kiddos by one evening so that Nolan could have  

a gander at our Gingerbread village, complete with a train.

Jon was just barely able to have Thanksgiving Day off and we 

were very thankful to have him with us.

We lucked out again when we thought he might have to stay over at work on Christmas,

 but didn't. He was working on Christmas Eve,

 so we joined the guys and the other families at the station

for a Christmas Eve dinner (the guys did all the cooking!). 

       Our Christmas' will probably never be filled with the same exact traditions year in and year out. That's something that I'm trying to come to grips with. Many years, Jon will be working on Christmas (in 2014, he'll be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), and we'll have to flex our plans accordingly. This year we decided to forgo a rushed trip to the bay area to be with my family, because it's a lot for our kids (and us) at this age. Next year, I will surely be out of town with the kiddos while Jon is at work. But what I already learned this year, is that it truly doesn't matter which day we celebrate. As long as we take a day together to celebrate as a family. Waking up without Jon at home with us on Christmas morning was made much easier by the fact that he was getting off and would be home to join us soon. 

        Nolan really just started to comprehend Christmas and all of it's magic this year. On Christmas Eve, I couldn't get the kid into his bed, but after explaining that Santa and the reindeer needed him tucked in before they could arrive, he was happy to oblige. He helped me set out a cookie, some brownie bites for the reindeer, and a glass of milk. He then asked me to close his bedroom door so that Santa couldn't get in. 

       First thing in the morning, I heard him stirring in the living room. 

I entered to find him checking out the leftovers from the night prior.

He was happy to help finish off the bits that Santa and Rudolph left behind.

The kids and I made some quiche and set out breakfast,

waiting for dad to arrive home.

I figured it was best to snap a couple of pics of the kids while I could.

This is Quincy's new trick.

Nolan really became the gift opener extraordinaire.

He may or may not have opened a gift at one point and said,

"this can't be for me…it's clothes".

Oh, the Christmas spirit at it's finest.

       More then anything this year, I was reminded of how much we have. Too much really. We are so blessed and fortunate. It was certainly a time to reflect on how content we should be with all that we've been given (health and family, not physical gifts).  We spent the remainder of the day watching a movie as the kids napped, and then making some homemade ribs. It was lazy. And simple. And great.