We, like most of you, are back to reality today after a great holiday break. Setting the alarm clock, packing bags, getting out to meet the bus, and sending Matt back to work after 3 weeks of vacation are going to be rough, but in all honesty, we are ready for some routine.
Christmas here was absolutely magical, because we had a huge Christmas surprise. My brother and his family flew in from Denver on Christmas Eve and surprised the whole family. Matt and I were in on the surprise, but the joy we all experienced with their arrival was beyond words. We were at my sister's house for Christmas Eve dinner, and they walked in the door and said, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" After the shock wore off, my mom was screaming, and we were all crying. And then we got to enjoy the whole vacation week with them. This was a Christmas for the record books!
Our kids were so excited for Christmas morning to arrive. This is the first year that they both have been aware enough of the tradition to be excited about Santa. Evie got up around 7:15 and we did stockings and her Santa gift, then we woke Noah up a little after 8. The sweet thing is that Evie was just as excited to help Noah with his stocking as she was to open her own. Soon after, we headed to my sister's to exchange gifts with the Zehnacker crew and have a delicious brunch that my mom prepares every year. The cousins were all together and we soaked in the awesomeness of the day.
The festivities continued in the ensuing days, and we celebrated with Matt's family, Ally and Caroline, the extended Zehnacker family, and had lots of happy hours, game nights, went skating, sledding, and had some play dates. Our kids started to have some pretty bad behavior by the end, but I couldn't blame them after such a busy week. (Remember what I was saying about needing some routine?!)
And just in case that wasn't enough, Matt also gave our bathroom a face lift by removing a wallpaper border, painting, and installing a new faucet. Nice work, honey!
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By the time New Year's rolled around, we were exhausted. We enjoyed a quiet evening of going to an early dinner with family, then seeing a movie after the kids were in bed. It was perfectly relaxing and just what we needed. Thank you all for your love and friendship in 2016, and we wish you a happy and healthy 2017!
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