Our Christmas season was busy as usual and included lots of traveling to and from various places.
Our Christmas started early this year. We had a great time at Gene and Rusty's enjoying a holiday party on Friday the 16th - lots of friends, lots of kids, lots of oysters and perfect weather. Just another reason to be thankful for the lowcountry weather! Payton enjoyed his second flag football game on Saturday December 17th - he scored another touchdown and "tackled" the defender by stealing a flag! Following the football game, we rushed to Ginny Cate's 3rd birthday party and we were all surprised to see that Santa had stopped by for a visit at her party. After her party, we loaded up the car (for the 1st time!) and headed to Columbia where we were meeting up with Grandma and Grandpa to send the boys to NC a few days early.
Payton and Owen enjoyed one night, a church service, and lunch at KFC before riding with Grandma and Grandpa to East Bend. Aunt Chandra is a teacher and had asked earlier this year about having the boys a few extra days while she was out of school...thanks to Grandma's taxi service, we were able to make this happen! The boys made it to East Bend in time for Calyn and Carson's church Christmas service....and Pawpaw's stomach bug :(. Sunday night and Monday all FOUR kids spent the day with Aunt Chandra...including a trip to the dentist and an evening traveling to Chapel Hill to see the Heels play ball. This was the day Aunt Chandra realized she had made the correct choice by stopping with just 2 kids :). Chandra and Allen were able to take Owen to his first game in the Dean Dome on Monday. He had fun looking for Rameses! Payton loved seeing the Heels too and was most excited to see his imaginary friend Harrison in person!
Payton and Owen spent Tuesday - Thursday in East Bend - spending time between Aunt Chandra house and Meme's house. I think they loved every single minute! Payton was devastated when he had to be separated from Carson! We finally arrived in NC to begin our Christmas break on Thursday night after the kids were snug in their beds.
Friday was spent at Portrait Innovations getting our annual "cousins" Christmas picture - and it turned out perfect! The best yet! We then enjoyed a family lunch and then Chad, Calyn and I did a little last minute shopping. Friday night we enjoyed the Webb/Doub family Christmas celebration at Meme and Pawpaw's. We always enjoy this relaxing night with both sides of Chad's family. Of course, Payton and Owen both get really hyper and show off all their new talents for everyone! We had a great time and some memorable laughs!
Saturday brought Christmas Eve! We started the morning with a big breakfast at Meme and Pawpaw's with Chad's immediate family. Following breakfast, we exchanged all our presents. As usual, everyone did a great job and we all got some great gifts. Calyn and Carson have grown out of the exciting toy stage, which makes me sad, since that is how I so fondly remember my first few years around them (and, I LOVED to spoil them with a few too many gifts in those first few years....it was just so much fun....and, they are the only niece and nephew I will have). However, Calyn and Carson may be over the big toy phase but that makes it fun in its on way....because now, they are excited to see what Payton and Owen get and to help them get all of their new toys together so they can all play together. It was a great Christmas Eve morning.
Around 3 in the afternoon, we loaded up the car (for the 3rd time if anyone is counting!!) and headed to Sherrills Ford for the White Family Christmas celebration. It's tradition to celebrate Christmas Eve with my Dad's family and attend my home church's Christmas Eve service. It is always one of my favorite days of the year and this year was no different. My Dad and my uncle Alfred are the only "original" White family members left - unfortunately, my Papaw Mose and Nannie Helen passed away far to long ago as did my Uncle David and my Aunt Libby. I miss them all dearly, especially each year on Christmas Eve. There are 8 kids under eight and at Thanksgiving they were wild...at Christmas, they were much better and allowed us all to enjoy our family time a little more....maybe it was the presents! We do a gift exchange between the kids and they all enjoy the excitement of finding out who had each name and what they each received. We spend very little money but its always fun! The Christmas Eve service is always perfect - last year, Owen broke my necklace; this year Chad and Owen spent the entire service in the narthex because he was WAY too loud! We always close with Silent night and I always cry.....as I did this year! As we were leaving church, an elderly member of our church stopped me because she wanted to tell me that my grandmother "would have been so proud to see 2 full pews of her family here together!" Of course, that only made me more emotional....but, she is so right...my grandmother would be so proud! I love that Chad and I both have very close family members and I can't imagine it any other way!
After the Christmas Eve service and some work in the basement, the kids were changed into their Christmas PJ's and we headed back to East Bend. We followed our tradition of reading "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" as we pulled out of Grandma & Grandpa's house and traveled down Little Mountain Road. Owen was asleep as soon as I finished reading and Payton followed soon after. We traveled up the interstate while Santa delivered gifts around the world.
Merry Christmas......this year, Christmas fell on a Sunday....so, that meant an early morning for us! We were up at 5:40 to start our day. Quick showers and quick glimpses at what Santa left at Meme's and we were on our way to Mawmaw's for Christmas breakfast. As always, we enjoyed breakfast with Mawmaw and Meme's family and exchanged presents. I was amazed that it didn't seem too rushed....we even had time to let the kids play and relax briefly before heading off to church. Breakfast at 7:00, church at 9:30, home to load up the car, lunch and more presents at 12:30 at Aunt Gail's and then off to Sherrills Ford for Christmas evening.
When we arrived in Sherrills Ford, Payton was thrilled to find that Santa had indeed stop there as well. At Meme's house, Santa left a Car Track, the game Candyland and stocking stuff for Payton and Owen....but, Payton quickly asked where his drums might be.....lucky for Payton, Santa stops multiple places for Payton and Owen. Sure enough, Santa had left the most perfect blue drum set at Grandma & Grandpa's house. He was so excited! We were also surprised to find a new Spiderman bicycle for Payton and a Rock Star shirt and Cars 2! Owen had a great toy kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa and Santa must have known.....Santa left several kitchen toys including a cookie baking set, a set of bread and butter, veggies and fruits. Santa also left a tool bench for Owen. We changed into comfy clothes to enjoy our presents and took our time with our new gifts and stockings. We have a wonderful Christmas dinner and played with our new toys!
Monday morning we played a little more and enjoyed a brief visit from my friend Jessica and her husband Doug before heading off to Charlotte. We had another brief visit with Johnny and Hilary, who were still at his parents, before heading to my Aunt Linda's to celebrate Christmas with my Mom's family. We spent Monday evening at Aunt Linda's and then headed back to Sherrills Ford.
On Tuesday, we slept late (maybe??) and played with Grandma all day long!!!!
Sheesh, I'm exhausted just remembering all of this....but, in all honestly, this was the most relaxing Christmas yet! It was truly a great time with all of our family. Pictures will follow soon....especially of our little Rock Star and Baker!
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