Suzy

Photo of the week

(Pattie- Please tell Steve thank you a million for the lens. It saved Christmas!)

What a week we have had! It was so much fun and full of awesome times with family. I love this photo for some reason. It is so cute how excited Jack is and how Kaitlin is in the background loving that soft robe with a huge smile. Love it! Eric and I really enjoyed our week. Christmas Eve with MaMa and Grandpa Nick was so nice here at home!! The kids really got to enjoy opening up their gifts in a small, quiet setting and Mama and Grandpa Nick got to watch them enjoy each gift. It was really, really nice. This was our first year in 12 years to stay home all day on Christmas Day and it was wonderful! We missed spending the morning with the family at Beth's though! We missed seeing that side of the family and watching Carsyn tear up the house. After 12 years of going with Eric's family traditions, I got a little gift this year from my sweet husband. :) However much we missed everyone, it was one of the greatest gifts Eric has ever given to me to agree to stay home and spend the day in our PJ's. It was wonderful actually. We did nothing but eat, play with the kids, and play games. We did not shower or clean or do anything productive at all. We just sat and hung out with our kids and relaxed and enjoyed each other like we almost never do. I grew up this way, so it was something I have wanted to do since Eric and I got married. To make things fair in our family as far as traditions go, we will do this every other year. It is the way I remember Christmas to be, and I got teary several times throughout the day at the sight of our whole family in our PJ's hanging out together and laughing and playing games all day.

Most Mother in Laws would be furious if their daughter in laws just decided to not come to the family Christmas breakfast...but not mine! Beth, thank you for understanding that decision was not personal, and for loving me anyway and forgiving me for being totally selfish for the day. Thank you for allowing me to experience my family traditions this year and never once showing your irritattion with me! You put a smile on your face and came Christmas Eve and gracefully allowed a BIG change because you knew what it meant to me. You and Nick are more than I could ask for in in-laws. I love you both so much! This meant more to me that you know!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

And because I have found this awesome slide show website....here is the last one of the season. It's just so much easier than posting 10 pictures and having to choose. What an awesome Christmas we had! Looking foward to an even better 2010.