Making Up For Lost Time

This has been a roller coaster ride of a Christmas holiday. We have been dealing with some major health issues in our family but trying our darndest to keep up as many of the traditions as we possibly could! My pictures are pretty random but I still want to document this year-such as we are. Please forgive me if I jump around...this post is mostly to document our holiday for our family but you are more than welcome to come along for the ride!

We managed to squeeze in our traditional Nutcracker weekend. Even though we missed Papa, Aunt Jennie was a fun substitute!

These two always  wonder why the Nutcracker has such weird teeth!

Since the girls didn't want to do all of our usual traditions without Papa, we went to another restaurant this years and everyone loved it.

Then the girls voted for going home and having a Christmas movie marathon.

Before we knew it, it was Christmas eve and we were off to the children's' candlelight service. It is always beautiful and the addition of the children to the program is just something to behold.

And then, the day we have all been waiting for!

We might all be a little worse for the wear this year, but we were all here...and that is what mattered in the end!

We did some present opening with the Hutchisons and then were off for appetizers and a visit with the Hollands before everyone ended up back at our house again.

This is a special gift from Morgan. Since we have always given each of our grand children an  ornament depicting something special in their life from the previous year, Morgan wanted to do a "turn-around" and give us one. We have been watching all of the Gilmore Girls shows once again building up to the new short series so she gave us a Star's Hollow ornament commemorating all of those hours in front of the TV. The funny thing is that Papa and I had chosen a Gilmore Girls ornament for both Morgan and Olivia this year as they have been pretty obsessed...great minds must think alike. lol

Another of our favorite traditions. These two have had a Santa picture made for us every year since they were born! Can't believe they're still doing it to make their old Nana and Papa happy!

Santa brought Presley a manicure station so we all had to get a festive manicure before the day was over!

My manicure included many happy faces as well as a flower and a dolphin...see if you can tell which is which...lol

And, as if that wasn't enough, two days later we got to celebrate our 51st anniversary. It was nice that so much of the family was still around and got to help in the celebrating!

The next day we were off to Gainesville for another celebration that included Papa's favorite meal-homemade meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans and fresh asparagus!

We are finally home and settling in to what will be our new normal. We are taking things slowly and finding new routines and traditions. And so goes life! I am getting antsy to take down Christmas but trying to hold off until my usual Jan. 1...we shall see how that works. Then, I am on to Valentine's Day! Stay tuned.