Christmas morning has always been a bit of a chaotic mess. We've always been the kids that woke up early, like at the butt-crack of the morning, wanting to open our presents opened before 7 am. This did not please our parents and we usually found ourselves back in bed before 6:30 and then we waited next to our door until about 7 when we would venture back to our parents rooms only to be told to wait a bit longer while they got up (but what we didn't know was that they were finishing up our presents). Clearly, we weren't the most patient of children. Then, when we finished with our Christmas, we always went to my grandmother's house for Christmas there, and her awesome Christmas breakfast. As we got older, and as we created new traditions out of the divorce, the older children found themselves at a loss of not wanting to miss out on grandmom's breakfast on Christmas morning. So, it's been our tradition to go to grandmom's after opening gifts on Christmas morning then returning home to our mom's house after a wonderful breakfast. 

This year was a little different because of the divorce for Noah and Amelia. We went to grandmom's and met the kids afterwords and in the mix, Santa forgot to put up the Christmas trampoline (or as it's lovingly called in our home: the jumpoline).

On the day after Christmas, and the day Garrison and I left, Garrison, my father-in-law, and Hunter all went out in the cold to set up the trampoline for the kids to play on before leaving to go back to their dad's. It was sad for everyone, they all knew we were leaving and we knew they didn't want to leave home, but we all just enjoyed the happiness that was brought to them via the new play-thing. 

Gunner got some light-up drum sticks from us for Christmas, we got to see them in action before we left for TN. He used his record player to listen to a Beatles song and play along. It was quite impressive.

In the car with the kids before they were dropped off and before we left. 

Last view of Bethany before we took off for TN. She was pretty tuckered out after the adventurous week she had with all of us there visiting. 

Christmas morning has always been a bit of a chaotic mess. We've always been the kids that woke up early, like at the butt-crack of the morning, wanting to open our presents opened before 7 am. This did not please our parents and we usually found ourselves back in bed before 6:30 and then we waited next to our door until about 7 when we would venture back to our parents rooms only to be told to wait a bit longer while they got up (but what we didn't know was that they were finishing up our presents). Clearly, we weren't the most patient of children. Then, when we finished with our Christmas, we always went to my grandmother's house for Christmas there, and her awesome Christmas breakfast. As we got older, and as we created new traditions out of the divorce, the older children found themselves at a loss of not wanting to miss out on grandmom's breakfast on Christmas morning. So, it's been our tradition to go to grandmom's after opening gifts on Christmas morning then returning home to our mom's house after a wonderful breakfast. 

This year was a little different because of the divorce for Noah and Amelia. We went to grandmom's and met the kids afterwords and in the mix, Santa forgot to put up the Christmas trampoline (or as it's lovingly called in our home: the jumpoline).

On the day after Christmas, and the day Garrison and I left, Garrison, my father-in-law, and Hunter all went out in the cold to set up the trampoline for the kids to play on before leaving to go back to their dad's. It was sad for everyone, they all knew we were leaving and we knew they didn't want to leave home, but we all just enjoyed the happiness that was brought to them via the new play-thing. 

Gunner got some light-up drum sticks from us for Christmas, we got to see them in action before we left for TN. He used his record player to listen to a Beatles song and play along. It was quite impressive.

In the car with the kids before they were dropped off and before we left. 

Last view of Bethany before we took off for TN. She was pretty tuckered out after the adventurous week she had with all of us there visiting.