Our North Carolina Christmas!

We decided to have our own, special little Christmas with just the four of us here in North Carolina. We celebrated on December 8, the last Saturday before we flew to Idaho. Plus, we knew we wouldn't be able to pack all of our gifts into our bags, so our boys had two Christmas days, one in North Carolina and one in Idaho. Our North Carolina Christmas was such a magical and fun day.

I love that Ashton's Christmas wishes are completely untainted and straight from his heart. He doesn't watch TV so we are able to shield him from gaining desires for toys and games he might see advertised. Plus he is still at a tender age where we can influence him greatly. This year he wanted a baseball and slippers.

He traced this note all by himself: "Dear Santa, Will you bring me a baseball and slippers for Christmas, please?" We made a candy cane cookie "S" for Santa along with a glass of milk, one of my favorite traditions from my childhood.

Every year growing up, my family made my Gran ma Carol's candy cane cookies. I remember one year when my brothers and I were older we didn't make our traditional cookies due to the hustle and bustle of the season. My oldest brother and I decided we couldn't let a year go by without making the cookies so we stayed up late into the night on Christmas Eve to make Gran ma's cookies. It is one of my favorite Christmas memories. It is so fulfilling to imagine my Gran ma as a young mother, making these same cookies with my mom standing on a chair helping roll the batter. Then I reminisce and think of my own childhood, so excited to stand next to my mother and never being able to shape the candy canes as well as she. Now my little boy sits on the counter next to me, his small hands carefully mimiking my actions.  

I made lots and LOTS of muffins to hand out to the ladies I visit teach and our neighbors. "You're getting MUFFIN for Christmas!" :)

On "Christmas Eve" we let the boys open one present, pajamas! This is a tradition from both our families.

I love to get the boys matching outfits! Lately, I have been getting Beckham dressed first and Ashton will try to find something in his closet that is the same or very similar!

Cute boys ready for bed!

We are so blessed to have an abundant Christmas. We strived to make the season meaningful by focusing on serving others and centering our thoughts on Christ.

The boys in the morning ready to tear open their presents!

We gave them a little table which has been perfect for Ashton's Learning Time everyday!

Ashton got a new package of underwear, which Beckham was very excited about!! ;)

Silly, silly boys!

Ashton playing with his new Play-Doh!

Nelson made a delicious breakfast after all the presents were opened!

Nelson and I both made gifts for each other. I took a deck of cards and Mod Podged 52 things I love about Nelson. He painted this board and put vinyl on it. I LOVE it!!! Isn't it beautiful?!

 

Here's Ashton with his Christmas wishes: A baseball and slippers! We bought Ashton's slippers at Target a couple weeks prior to our Christmas. We wanted him to try them on and then we didn't let him see us buy them. He is such a smart cookie and has the best memory. When he opened his slippers he exclaimed, "Santa got these slippers at Target!" HAHA!

 Stay tuned for our trip to Idaho! I am slowly but surely catching up!