We had a very nice REAL Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my family in Chicago.
Our Christmas Eve tradition has always been to have my Grandma over, dinner, exchanging gifts, and church.
We just hang out and enjoy a relaxing day together. My Grandma held Nolan like this for a VERY LONG time. He was such a good sport and just let her snuggle him quietly. He was very patient and it meant the WORLD to her.
We ate an early dinner.
After dinner Great Grandma gave each boy a gift.
Us big kids always get the same fun goodie bag from her as well.
Then we gave Grandma Verna our gifts. We have always taken this picture for as long as I can remember...Grandma covered in all of her presents and surrounded by her grandchildren.
After naps, we went to church. The boys stayed in the service with us and did a pretty good job staying quiet for the most part. New Christmas candy was key! They liked singing the songs and "reading" the hymnals. They looked so precious looking at this large Nativity scene outside of the church. I'm so glad they love that little baby Jesus so much already!
Then Auntie took us on a Christmas lights tour. This house was pretty incredible. They even had music playing too!
Then it was home to set out cookies for Santa and carrots for Rudolf. They were pretty lucky that Santa would be visiting them AGAIN!
They slept in until about 7 and woke up to have the "real Christmas" as we kept calling it.
We do stockings first.
Then it's onto our family's Pickle Ornament tradition...
We did a kids round first. Just keepin' it real- this video contains the following: whining, elbows thrown, screaming, and pouting. We all know these things happen in any normal day with children...even on Christmas!
Nolan showing his "pickle prize"! Both kids got a prize, but Heath truly gets the bragging rights!
Mallory won the adult round again this year.
Then it was on to the presents...
Brooks showing off his super cute Cubs jersey from Uncle T.
Nolan got this cool Millennium Falcon case to hold his Lego guys.
Mark showing off his new Bears hat from Mallory.
Brooks was really excited about my parents' new Keurig!
Brooks got a Little People Christmas train.
And the boys got fishing poles! We can't wait to use them this summer!
(Nolan is also wearing Heath's new Cubs hat! They share everything!)
And those pictures don't even capture all of our new loot- there were Ninja Turtles, Legos, clothes, games, and money, in the mix too! We were more than spoiled during all 3 of our Christmas celebrations this year. We are so blessed and always remind our children of this. We want to instill in them a love of GIVING, not just receiving. And during this Christmas season and year round we love finding ways as a family to give back- to our family, our community, our church, and our world. God is good.
The boys enjoyed playing with their new toys for a bit and then it was over to my cousins house for our family Christmas party. I didn't snap too many pictures there. We just enjoyed eating, and chatting, and laughing, and a White Elephant gift exchange where I received beautiful Playboy drinking glasses! Too bad they were too bulky to bring back on the plane with me! Ha!
I did take this picture of my cute 1 year old and I. Doesn't he look handsome in his Christmas button up?!
The boys had fun playing with my cousins' children, Amanda and Jason, and all of their new and different toys. Check out how Heath looked for most of the night...
Viking Boy!
It was so special to be able to share Christmas with my family in Chicago this year. Even though there WILL NOT be another Jansen baby born next December, they will all still be heading out our way again!
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