The Four Christmases

The kids are spoiled completely by the people that love them.  Christmas Day we spend with my family and basically it looks like Christmas for 30 people when there is only 9 of us.  It totaly brings me back to my childhood though.  My parents definitely didn't cater to our every whim when we were kids, but Christmas and our Birthdays were amazing.  It seemed like my mom always heard my every wish and honestly other then an Easy Bake Oven :-) (special joke between her and I) every wish was granted.  My children are growing up in the same world where impromptu presents are clothes and things that they need for school or sports but Chirstmas and birthdays are special.  Between the three grandkids she spends the exact same amount within a $1 of each other...and makes sure that every wish is granted.

Cait loves snowglobes, we have at least six of them at our house and she loves Christmas time to see all of them in the stores and especially the ones people have in their homes.

Is there snow outside, are the cookies gone?

Christmas morning in Michigan, you hope to magically awake and find snow on the ground, the cookies gone, the milk emptied and the reindeer food sparse.  The kids were up early right around 7 am.  With them getting older they are easier to reason with, they also like to just walk around and take it all in.  Count how many presents are under the tree, how full are the stockings, the hopes of the things that they wished for ended up under the tree.  Tony and I were able to buy 45 minutes of extra sleep while they got ready for the big opening.  In the prior years Cam never has had a shirt on for any of the picturres, this year he played along and I had a fully clothed child.  I love watching things through their eyes, children really do make Christmas that much more special.

 I love this picture above of Cait, that smile and look on her face, makes me smile



Christmas Eve at The Bacarella's

I love Christmas Eve the excitement for Santa and the sparkle in the kids eyes when they wake up today and realize that for two straight days they will be opening presents, playing with their cousins, eating a gazillion cookies and the hopes that time can stand still and these two days could never end.

Aniello, John and Anthony

Cam getting excited about the first of nine Nerf guns...amazing the age and how they just

want to shoot things :-)

 Love Connor and his obsession with any type of ball!