----Merry Christmas----

Christmas was Perfect:)

I hate that it's over so quickly?!?

*Building snowmen, 3 movies, hours of card games, Wii competitions, insane amounts of shrimp, delicious red and green holiday slushy stuff, homemade carmels and english toffee, honey-baked ham...santa's lap, pulling jax on a tube behind the four wheeler...sleeping into 11:00 a.m. EVERY DAY....

Yep....I could get used to all of it pretty darn quick.

I bet your past few days sound pretty similar!!!

*****

I'd say Our holiday was a success.....other than my small cold/stomach ache/fever/nausea....and overall pain that is:) I AM ALWAYS sick on Christmas. I think it's the stress, the cold weather, the lack of sleep due to preparation...(who knows)...but I am always sick! Christmas is no small thing at my mom's. This is precisely why I love it and most likely why I am sick:) The shopping and menu planning can make for some long days the week prior I tell ya.

Oh...but they are all so worth it!

*****

I never posted a picture of my mom's tree! This is one of them....and I LOVE staying up late, laying by it and reading long after everyone else is asleep. Her snowman one is so darling too but I don't have a picture:) I meant to do this tag....but I ran out of time!

Mommies don't get a break....and I rarely take one (as most of you can relate).....so this sickness is dragging on and on and being unncessarily cruel:) How dare my body try and keep me from the fun! I ignore it...carry around a bottle of Robitussen and Tylenol PM and I'm good to go:)

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Life couldn't be better right now.

Reasons I LOVE Christmas at "home" would include:

1-Christmas eve! My mom puts so much work into Christmas eve!!! We have a D-E-Liciously perfect meal and even better dessert.

2-We always go to a movie....and when we return have a wonderful family home evening.

3-We each open a New Christmas Book every year...and on the inside cover my mom writes us her testimony along with a special note. Yep...I'm lucky. It's a fun and special way to collect wonderful Christmas books for our kids. We then read the book aloud as a family and I love the spirit it brings.

4-She then, of course, has us open a new pair of "PJ's". You never get too old for a cute new pair of comfies!

(me and kay showing off our new lounge wear:)

5-She then has lots of new games for us to play...and we spend the rest of the night having a wonderful time and creating memories:) We all love Christmas eve....and it's all because of the effort my mom puts into making it special:)

6-Christmas Morning!

My mom does a perfect job...from the wrapping paper to the bows...to the huge breakfast...oh...the list could go on forever.

I still feel like I'm 6 years old waking up Christmas morning at my mom's....and I'm not going to complain. I'll take it for as long as I can:) I plan on carting all my kids and their toys to her house for as long as imaginably possible!

*****

We all knew that Jaxson was going to be a blast on Christmas this year! He had 8 adults 100% mesmerized with his every "ooo and aaa". Santa sure found him...and (santa) will try and remember next time that aunts/uncles/and both sets of grandparents will also be giving him presents:) whoops. He was in heaven....and completely overwhelmed for most of the day.

BEFORE I dive into my countless pictures of Christmas morning.... I must "catch up" with other Christmas activities. It seems like they were all crammed into the last 2 weeks! (sad that a huge chunck of my pics got erased...and good thing I take at least 500 of everything so I still have plenty. Hee hee)

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Last Sunday night me and my baby decorated a gingerbread house. He laughed the entire time. Oh yah,...and ate over 50 gumdrops in the process! It was so much fun...and he is at the p-e-r-f-e-c-t age right now. I want to push pause on my life and NEVER leave these weeks and months. They pass so quickly...and although I cherish every stage...THIS one is completley precious.

Yes. I get pretty serious about this kind of stuff:)

I'm not the only who thinks Jaxson is a joy by the way...because I asked Jarom...and he is also currently obsessed with his darling-ness lately. Ha ha! We fight over who gets to snuggle with him....or get him from the carseat after a ride somewhere. Are we pathetic? Or just in need of another little Baby Bishop to smother? Don't answer that. I'll admit...he even sleeps between us since we came back from Hawaii....and I NEVER DO THAT. I'm completley against it actually! I take one look at his little face and throw all rules out the window:)

Oh man....he is by far my best work yet:)

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We also had a family Christmas party on my dad's side. Santa always comes...which was wonderful because I didn't have to make a trip to the mall and wait in line for hours to take care of that little chore:) Jaxson has never seen Santa....but he knew just what to do. He loved him...gave him a hug and kiss...and enjoyed the "Presents" part....so it was a success!

Santa gave Jaxson (or mom gave santa to pull out of his huge red velvet sack and give jax) a Dinosaur that walks and roars! He thinks it's perfect...mainly because he is VERY into "scaring" people and "roaring/growling" these days:)

Boys are great.

And...my mission was accomplished. Jaxson LOVES Santa:)

Me and my hubby...who I think is ultra-cute.

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This is my only picture of Jax on Christmas eve due to a camera mishap:) In his jammies of course....and playing with his new toy from grammy. He LOVES those toys at the doctors office...so he's thrilled to have one.

Finally....we move on to:

***CHRISTMAS MORNING***

The face on this little guy sums it up for ya! (look close at that grin) I knew he'd freak at this four wheeler. He is in LOVE with them...and begs to go on rides ALL day long. His face/reaction were priceless. He now stands and/or kneels on the seat and rides full force into all my moms furniture. Fun fun fun.

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Other favorites included:

(I think it will be fun to look back YEARS later and see exactly what he got and enjoyed at the time)

Little people school bus and T-Ball set.

Animal hand puppets:)

Little People Car Garage:)

Giant Ride on Lion and basketball hoop:)

Mr. Potatoe Head...Mega blocks...and a HUGE bag of dum dum suckers...his absolute favorite:)

The sweet kid even exclaimed "oh my...oh my!" every single time he opened clothes or pj's. Not too fun for him...but what a good sport!

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I sewed him this little pillow as well. I recognize that it's for a BABY...but better late than never:) I always wanted to stitch each of my children a pillow for their crib...so HERE'S MY JAXSON'S!

***Complete with Birthdate, weight and all the info.****

Santa brought me a Red Laptop...and I love him to death for it:)

I am having lots of fun photoshopping now!

Christmas was wonderful....and we felt very lucky and spoiled! It was so great to spend it with my entire family....that was most definitely the best gift of all:) We were all home together for the first time in 3 years. I also LOVE living so close to my in-laws because we can spend time with both of them on special days like this. Jaxson enjoyed having FUN twice that day! We went to the Bishops house in the afternoon to open gifts and celebrate all over again.

*****

Christmas night we were dumped on! Jarom took Jax out to play in the snow....and he loved every second of it. He now has a wonderful cough and runny nose...complete with a new found obsession with snow and deeper love for his daddy. He built a snowman with aunt Kayla and Uncle Nate too! I watched from the window with a cup of hot chocolate and box of tissues.

...he wasn't too excited to come inside....

WOW.

I think that will do for now.

Picture overload.

Would you believe me if I said I've barely covered the half of it?!?

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I'll end by saying...

I am NOT ready for the Christmas Season to be over!

I love this time of year...and only wish I had more time to ACT on all my ideas and good intentions. I hope all of you have had and continue to have a wonderful and safe holiday:)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!