The Baxters: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope it was a good one with family, friends, fun and tradition. Our Christmas was a little different this year. I am still trying to decide if it was a good different or bad different or just different. You see, every year for as long as I can remember, I have always been with family for Christmas (I am talking about extended family). This is the first year that we did not travel anywhere nor did anyone come see us. It was just my little family. I was okay with that on Christmas day and just really enjoyed Camden's excitement in seeing what Santa Claus brought him and as he opened presents. We let him open all of Carson's presents too so he got to open A LOT! But now I am missing all the business and comings and goings of family members and the chatting and laughing with cousins, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters. Also, Kevin usually takes off for a week around Christmas and he is not this year. So tomorrow it is back to normal. The holidays are over. It just seems a little sad for me. I just need to remember how blessed I am. I have a WONDERFUL husband and two BEAUTIFUL boys. And we are all healthy and together this holiday season.

Now to share a little bit of what we've been doing the past week to get ready for Christmas:

Sunday, December 18th - Our church small group met to go bowling. We had a good time talking and bowling. The kids had fun too, even though our lanes did not have the bumpers to keep them from rolling gutter balls every time. Towards the end of the evening, Camden had a 7 pound bowling ball and fell down with it. The ball ended up landing on his thumb. He, of course, was crying and hurting for quite some time. His thumb started swelling up pretty quickly and we decided to go ahead an take him into urgent care to check it out. He ended up having a fracture in the middle bone of his thumb. They wrapped his thumb, hand and wrist in a splint and referred us to a orthopedic. On Tuesday we saw the orthopedic and he got a small cast. They should have given us a water-proof cast because yesterday he stuck his hand in some water and we had to take it off. Now, we have his hand wrapped in co-band.

Swollen thumb : (

Such a sad face. He didn't like the "big band-aid".

Monday, December 19th - Our good friends, the Leonards, came over for the day. Vanessa and I worked on a lavish Christmas feast most of the day and the kids played and played and played. Camden really loves the Leonard kids and he says the Hayden is his best friend. Anyways, when the guys got home from work we had our Christmas dinner: pork tenderloin, baked macaroni and cheese, dressing, broccoli, roasted potatoes and apple pie with ice cream. Then we exchanged presents!

Hayden 4, Reese (almost 7), Carson 9 wks, Adelyn 5 1/2, Camden 3

Doesn't Adelyn have the greatest smile?

Camden got the Lion King blu-ray combo pack! So excited! Thank you, Leonard Family!

Tuesday, December 20th - We woke up to about 5 inches of snow on the ground and had to drive to a doctors appointment with all that snow still on some of the roads. It was slow-going! But we got there and Camden got a cast on and we came home and stayed in for the rest of the day.

Picking out a sucker while his cast dries.

Wednesday, December 21st - I took both kids out to several stores and did some final Christmas shopping.

Thursday and Friday, December 22nd and 23rd - Did not do much here. Wrapped presents for Camden and watched some tv. More snow!

Saturday, December 24th - Slept in (a little), went out to play in the snow and take some pictures of Camden and Carson in their snow suits with the sled! Made cookies and gumbo. Went to a Christmas Eve service at church and then got ready for Santa to come to our house!

Camden pulling his sled around.

I love living in a place where we get snow. Even though it didn't snow on Christmas we got so much the week before that we did have a White Christmas!

Camden loved being on his sled. I can't wait to take him again when he can actually sled downhill. (We couldn't do this because he could only grip the sled with one hand because of his broken thumb.)

My two favorite little guys! I love them.

About to open up the Christmas Eve present. It was "The Night Before Christmas".

Cookies, milk and a letter for Santa!

Sunday, December 25th- Saw what Santa brought Camden and Carson! Ate some breakfast. Went to church. Opened presents! It was SO much fun to see how excited Camden was to open presents this year! He was actually giddy on Christmas Eve and Kevin had to lay down with him to get him to go to sleep : )
We face-timed with Stephen and my parents and Philip, Heather, Callie and Gabriel. Played with new games and toys!