Here it is, New Year's Eve day/night and I'm determined to finish up our Christmas post before the New Year!! This Christmas was very exciting, well, really aren't all Christmas'.....anyways, it was very exciting for us obviously because our family was complete. We started out the year prepared to have Garrett gone on deployment during the Holiday season. And until about October/November that was still the assumption. But Christmas came early for the Carrs' with Garrett coming home mid-December! Because of these circumstances it gave me the opportunity to reflect and prioritize what's really important during the holidays. Family ~ the 3 people I love most in this world. For most people out there spending the Holidays with their spouse and children is just a given. The idea of being apart during that fun and special time is simply no where on the radar. Not having grown up in a military family I remember that feeling. And I think because of that sometimes we lose focus on what Christmas should really be about. Of course for us it's always been about recognizing, honoring, and celebrating our Lord and Savior's birth. But in the past we have also gotten lost in the shopping and pile of gifts under the tree, and just basically taking for granted that we were all together and not really enjoying and living in the moment of just being a family.
So this year, as soon as Garrett got home I felt like we were given this generous gift of time. Picking out our Christmas Tree together, singing carols together, shopping together, decorating together, waking up Christmas morning together, going to church together......you get the idea. Garrett and I wanted to emphasize this to the kiddos at how very blessed we were/are to be a family whole. And I think they kind of get it because they know/remember when we were not complete and the pure joy on their faces when Garrett is with them makes my heart smile. We intentionally bought less gifts this year for the kids ~and none for each other {more on that later}~ and instead of Santa bringing a BIG flashy new something under the tree they both got this little guy ~ Jingle :)
And they adore him!
This was the first year, since having kids, that Christmas was on a Sunday for us so we had to switch up our usual Christmas morning routine. Our service was at 10am so we decided that when we got up this kiddos would check out their stockings......
and open just one gift!
Then we would have our usual yummy breakfast, compliments of Garrett, and get ready for church.
After church we all settled in and let the gift giving begin!
My mom made us matching aprons! Aren't they cute!
The aftermath! Man! We had a lot of extended family that spoiled us all rotten! Thanks everyone for the gifts!!
For Kayla, it was new dress up gear! *This was actually a fire suit given to Gavin from Grandma Linda and Grandpa Ron, but for now Kayla is loving it!* Her and Garrett went through an entire rescue mission complete with the pinning on of her shinny badge!
As I mentioned above, Garrett and I decided to not buy one thing for each other to put under the tree this year. All we wanted...needed..was time to be together. And since my mom was here it worked out perfectly to steal a night away up in Durham where we shopped together and got a few things for each other, ate like ROYALTY {seriously, I feel minorly disgusted at how much we eat at some fabulous restaurants for lunch and dinner and breakfast and lunch again!!} and had our own little rustic cabin that was part of a Bed and Breakfast! It. Was. Wonderful. And honestly might be the start of a tradition for us whenever it works out to forget the random gift buying and put that money to good use with an elegant night away!
A few days after Christmas it was time for my mom to pack up and head back home to San Diego :( . So of course we had to do some timer shots :)
We had so much fun with you Grammy Karen! Thanks for coming out!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
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