Christmas 2016!

This year was our first Christmas at home together with just our little family of FIVE!
Adam and I agreed that it was so nice to be able to start some traditions of our own and to enjoy the holiday at our own pace without having to travel. 
Christmas Eve we went out for an early breakfast and then saw half of Moana (once the 10AM popcorn was devoured they had no interest in staying any longer), stopped by a nearby Christmas Village to see Santa's reindeer before their long flight, and started our first original tradition of killer grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner. 

 

Then all that was left was for Jude to write a note to Santa reminding him to leave a Lego City cargo train, place it next to some freshly baked cookies, throw on our Christmas jammies that Santa's reindeer had left on the doorstep, and go to bed--so us parents could stay up until 2am watching Christmas Vacation, It's a Wonderful Life, and assembling Scout's new play kitchen. 

That all being said, we still definitely missed sharing the day with our families--especially when we were the only two people available to absorb the insane level of Christmas energy. Holy cow: THE ENERGY. By lunchtime Adam and I were exhausted and ready for the kids to go to bed. 
But with Christmas being on a Sunday, although we had to practically tear Jude away from his new train kicking and screaming, we really appreciated having Christmas on a Sunday and changing out of our jammies into our Christmas Sunday best to sing hymns and really enjoy the sweet reverence of the season. And Piper even got to wear the same dress Scout and I wore for our first Christmases! She was pretty happy about it :). 

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and wish you a wonderful and blessed New Year!

Christmas 2014!

This year, my family from Idaho, Utah, and Pennsylvania all decided to drive and meet up in the middle in Missouri for Christmas! 
Last Christmas we were also able to spend the day all together--me then being newly pregnant with Scout and this year my dear friend Courtney and my brother, Bryon, are expecting their first little one (a boy!) in June! 
Once again, Aunt Darlene was an exceptionally gracious hostess and we can't thank her enough for all of the great memories. 

Prepare yourself for photo overload. Also, bonus points for identifying the correct number of pictures Aunt Brynne photo-bombed. 

We've made a Christmas card almost every year since having Jude and this is the first time we've actually sent one out! Sorry to all those we weren't able to send cards to--it's nothing personal, truly. I just knew that if I didn't cap it at 30 cards I'd probably ending up sending 300. Whatever, I know 300 people...

Back in those arms. 

Scout wore the dress I wore for my first Christmas this year! 

Soon-to-be Uncle Nick made Jude a custom Santa pinata filled with candy and cars! 

They treated us SO SO good. Christmas Eve ribs!!!!

Can't wait to meet little Andy in June!

Jude takes coloring very seriously, in all its forms.

That there is a hand-painted picture of  grumpy cat on a mug done by insanely-talented Nick.   (Not pictured are two more mugs with hand-painted portraits of Jude and Scout. Seriously, this guy.)  

My cousin Kacy made a pillow case out of one of my Grandpa's favorite shirts and gave it to my Grandma for Christmas. She responded by burying her face into it while simultaneously crying and laughing. So grateful to spend yet another wonderful Christmas with this remarkable woman.

Out. 

And there you have it! 

There are about a million more pictures, awkward moments, cookies eaten, presents opened, and naps taken, but this is it. 

Family really is what it's all about. 

Hope everyone had a very, Merry Christmas! 

Great Grandparents

This Christmas Day was spent at our darling Grandma and Grandpa Handley's house. These are Jude's great-grandparents and I feel so blessed that they are part of his life. They are unsurpassed examples of love, family, sacrifice, and everything I hope to be and for Adam and I to have in our relationship--and Jude just loves them. :)
Also, they have the most epic love story--a story of which we'll save for another time. 
Imagine boy meets girl (while in uniform), boy sails away to war, he comes back and the rest is history. 
These photos just bring tears to my eyes. If you only knew my Grandpa, with his sweet, cheesy humor and unpredictable kisses for Grandma, kisses of which almost always sweep her off her feet--you know, the kind where she's reduced to giggling like a little girl, after which proclaiming, "I thought he wouldn't ever stop!"
And Grandma, oh Grandma. She is the warmest, loveliest, and kindest woman in the world. Whenever I'm in the kitchen I think, "What would Grandma do?", and I'm always successful in making something delicious. 
And they were so sweet while playing with Jude. 
Grandpa made him laugh constantly, and Grandma played Mr. Potato Head and fed him so many snacks and treats that I'm pretty sure Jude ate breakfast, lunch and dinner just in one morning. ;) 

Yup. Tears. 

Our First Christmas!

Wheeeww. Did you get through all of that? 
This year was the "on" year for the Stevens family to all come together for Christmas. 
There was:
Christmas lights gazing.
Breakfast at Denny's having. 
Birthday celebrations doing. 
Christmas present shopping.
Bowling. Bowling? 
Chinese food eating. 
Christmas pj's wearing. 
Christmas story reading. 
Little babies screaming. 
Christmas food baking. 
Adults reminiscing. 
Very little sleeping. 
Christmas breakfast scarfing. 
Church together going. 
4 hours of presents unwrapping. 
Christmas dinner eating. 
Christmas games playing. 
And one baby who fell out of his high-chair onto the hard tile floor and ended up with a vertical bruise on his face from the grout between the tile. 
But he was ok. Just really sleepy. 
Highlights?
Jude got a rocking horse and a Radio Flyer red walker wagon to get his fat-boy legs walking. 
I got new Aldo boots. holla!  
Adam got us this insanely gorgeous print that we've both been dying to have in our home but was sold out. 
Jude didn't get a concussion. 
Christmas was on a Sunday. 
We got to spend time with family who we rarely see. 
Lastly and most importantly...
We were able to celebrate the miraculous birth of our Savior into this world who's mission was to bring about peace and make it so we can return to live with our Father in Heaven again. 
Can't believe that next year Jude-Man will be almost 2! Just don't let him turn 6 because I swear it's just downhill from there. 
Hope you all had a very merry Christmas and have some fun plans for New Year's!