A Brown Christmas

Ha!  Anyone who lives in Iowa knows it was definitely NOT a brown Christmas.  In fact, it was an incredibly white Christmas due to the around 13 inches of snow that fell here 5 days before the holiday.  My first snow day with Marshalltown Community Schools is in the books! (And being made up on January 21st- yuck.)


Anywho- we celebrated three Christmases this year, the first was just Jerod, Cailyn, and Me chillaxin' the Saturday morning before we began our travels the next day.  It was nice and extra fun since our stinker is very good at unwrapping gifts and loves to do so. 

Christmas in State Center

Our daughter is the only kid I know who would get this excited about new socks!  After unwrapping them, she immediately took off her pajamas so that she could put them on all by herself, ha :)

She also received a new book, play dough, and a vacuum from us.  She knew just what to do with the vacuum and the book...we're still working on the play dough thing.

As an experienced gift opener, Cailyn showed Daddy just how it's done.

In a world full of amazing technology and high-definition, my husband dropped hints for months about wanting to own an original Nintendo system.  I found it for him, complete with Super Mario Brothers 3 and Tecmo Super Bowl.  Now that I think about it, I may have played it more than he has since he opened it...

Christmas in Anita

Sunday we traveled down to Jerod's parents' place in southwest Iowa (of course, stopping at Jordan Creek on the way!).  It's always great to see them and Cailyn loves that she runs the roost when we're there since there are no other kids.  Sunday evening we just hung out at the house and Monday morning and afternoon Jerod's brothers (minus Heath since he's out in WV) came over and we had a delicious soup and sandwiches lunch and opened gifts.  Later that afternoon we all went to Christmas Eve mass together before heading on our way.

Monday morning Jerod and I realized we would need to make a trip to Walmart- all the way in Atlantic, and Deb came home just in time to watch Cailyn for us.  They had so much fun with Cailyn's new play dough stuff.

This was Sunday night and they were playing with the ceramic Santa on the table, it's funny how kids love the most miniscule little things.

Jerod's great grandpa Max built this way back when Jerod and his siblings were little and it's still in great repair minus a few cosmetic issues.

Usually they look out the windows at the cows together, but I think this time Bodie the dog was running around out there.

Cailyn received a cute pink jogging suit and a new stroller for her baby dolls from Grandma Deb & Papa Brown.

Christmas in Sioux City

After stopping for some Mickey D's in Atlantic we began our drive to Sioux City.  I realized, yet again, what a small world it is when we stopped in Missouri Valley to switch seats and I ran in to Josh Fuxa, an old high school friend who I haven't seen in 10 years.  Josh- if you're reading this, it was so good to see you, you look great! 

We got in at a decent hour and the next morning had a nice breakfast before opening gifts.  I'm not sure if I remember the last time we at before opening gifts- I guess that's when you can tell you and your siblings are getting older, huh? 

Gift opening was an amazing mess of tissue paper, bows, and wrappings- Cailyn LOVED it!

My sisters Amanda and Kristen goofin' around while Cailyn holds on for dear life

Every single thing he's wearing was a Christmas gift- I am amazed that society let this combination of neon colors escape the 80's!  It's the fad these days I guess...I don't understand it, I suppose this is just the beginning for me.

A quick photo with Grandpa Mark and Grandma Jacque before we headed back to State Center that night.

Family Christmas picture 2012- we tried about seven times and this was the least crappy of them, Cailyn would not hold still for anything!

 

 

From the sounds of it, everyone we know had a pretty fantastic Christmas.  We are so blessed to be the parents of such a beautiful little girl, one who is forming her own little personality, and let me tell you- if the present is any indication of her future self we are in for it!  Happy New Year to everyone!