The Magic of Christmas!

I love Christmas morning bed-head!

What fun we had watching Jayden bound down the hall to see if Santa made it down the chimney the night before. He didn't disappoint, both Jayden and Abbie made it on the good list this year. No coal in these stockings!

And while Corey came close to getting a lump of coal, a fishing license, among other things, made its way into his stocking this year. Just in time for his New Years Day fishing trip. Phew!

After opening our stockings, we dove into the presents under the tree. Jayden made out with nw clothes, tools, cars and the like and Mindy and Abbie weren't disappointed either. A new bag and some cute clothes for the girls in this house, just what was on their lists.

After presents and coffee, we got in our Christmas best and headed back to Me-maw and Papa's for more food, fun and of course basketball.

We hope your Christmas was as blessed as ours this year. I love the joy and cheer that people share this time of year and we pray that you and yours had a very Merry Christmas.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy!

We certainly rejoiced at the birth of our very own star this year. Our friends John & Anna Hunnell got Abbie this adorable outfit. Isn't that about the cutest thing you've ever seen?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

There's nothing like a Christmas with a new baby. Except Christmas with a new baby and a 2-year old, who (kinda) gets the whole Santa thing. What a fun Christmas this was in the Grant house this year!

Not only did we enjoy celebrating the birth of our Savior, we had a wonderful time rejoicing over the birth of our own precious baby girl, Abigail. And oh, the wonder of a child! Jayden had a blast digging into the presents under the tree that he had been longing to open. That we made it to Christmas morning with them still in tact is amazing!

This was our year to be in California with Mindy's side of the family so we spent Christmas Eve day at "Me-maw and Papa" (as Jayden calls them) Souza's house with all the cousins. This is a very special time, not only because we get to spend time as a family, but because the kiddos get to open their presents a little early!



Much to Corey's delight, Jayden got a basketball hoop, among other things, and it came with the 3 words dreaded most by fathers all around the world this time of year...

Some Assembly Required



Once they got it put together, the boys had a blast helping Jayden "dunk it" all afternoon.



After a fun day with the cousins, we went to the Christmas Eve communion service at our church then off to Great Grandma Souza's house for more family celebration...and presents for the kiddos. Jayden got his very own Lightning McQueen chair. How cool! (He actually carried it around the next day so no one else could sit in it. We're still working on the concept of sharing!)



After a full day of family and fun, we went home to wait for Santa. Jayden gets to open ONE present Christmas Eve from Mommy & Daddy - a pair of Santa pajamas to keep him warm as he snuggles into bed to wait for Santa to shimmy down the chimney. Better make sure Daddy puts the fire out before bed tonight!

Boys will be boys!

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Jayden is, after all, a boy. And a 2-year old boy at that! So it is only logical to think that sooner or later a trip to the doctor would be required...for something other than a check up or fever, no?

This is where we found ourselves last week after our smart, witty, funny, lovable baby boy decided that a french fry was just the right shape to fit not in his mouth, but up his nose. After 3 visits to the doctor, he landed on the table at the Ear, Nose and Throat specialist to have the aforementioned french fry suctioned from his nose.

And being a good mom, I, of course, took pictures. I hope you enjoy them more than he enjoyed the whole ordeal.

Cost of Happy Meal......................$3.59
Co-pay for doctor..........................$20.00
Co-pay for visit #2........................$20.00
Co-pay for visit #3........................$20.00
Co-pay for specialist.....................$20.00
Lesson learned the hard way.........Priceless!

Hamming it up!

Jayden's turning out to be quite the performer. He loves hamming it up "on stage" (the fireplace). I think we we have a future rock star or worship leader on our hands. I guess time will tell...

But seriously, this is about the cutest thing you will ever see.

Silent Night, Holy Night

Baby Abbie played baby Jesus in this year's Christmas play. We were Mary & Joseph, too...not that anyone was looking at us with that beautiful baby in our arms.

O Christmas Tree!

As far as I'm concerned, it's a real tree or no tree. I'm a fresh-cut-tree kind of girl and we had a great time hunting for the perfect Christmas tree at Apple Hill this year. We got to the tree lot and Jayden took off in search of the perfect tree.



It was a beautiful day and we found a beautiful Christmas tree (a very large tree). I think it ended up being somewhere around 10 feet and we had to do some additional "trimming" when we got it home. But it sure is a beauty! Jayden loved being a "helper" as Daddy and Papa cut the tree down.


And of course he loved helping decorate it once we got home. What a good boy!

First Bath

While I'm quite certain she will enjoy long, hot bubble baths at some point in the future, poor Abbie wasn't too thrilled with this first one.

Funny how I'm not nearly as nervous with her as I was the first time around with her big brother. It seems like yesterday we were doing this with him....

Jayden and Abbie

What a good big brother Jayden is shaping up to be! The first time he came to the hospital after Abbie was born, he crawled up on the bed next to her and started kissing her fingers. How sweet is that?

Of course, it didn't take long for him to start pointing out her ears, nose (which he "honked"), eyes, and hair. What fun they'll have as they grow up together.