Our celebrations started the first weekend of December with a family gathering in Stratford for Curt's dad's family.
The following weekend, after our Christmas party we had at our place, we headed to the farm to celebrate with Curt's mom's side of the family. This year the kids did a gift exchange because there is just getting to be too many of them. All of Curt's aunts and uncles used to buy for all of the kids, which was way too much!!! This year the kids drew names and got one gift which was perfect.
Jaxon got a Buzz Lightyear potato head doll, and was in his glory. He really is not into Toy Story, but he did receive a Buzz Lightyear doll that makes sounds and lights up for his birthday, so he knew who he was and was excited about his eyes coming out (oh my!!!, he is amuzing my the littlest things).
We then headed up to Kincardine on the Sunday before Christmas to have our gathering with my dad's family. There was no snow in the air, which was a blessing because just 2 days prior to us going the road to get into Kincardine had been closed for 5 days. We might have got in, only to not get out until April!!!
Christmas eve our tradition is to spend the night at my mom and dads place, and this is where Santa Clause makes his stop. When we had wrote him our letter this year we made sure that we told him that he would be able to find us there, and that he did.
Christmas eve was spend having dinner with my 2 grandmas, Cara and Justin, mom and dad, and us. Curt's parents came over after they were done at church for a little Christmas cheer as well. The flood of gifts also started this evening as well. Jaxon was so anxious to open gifts as soon as we got to my mom and dad place because the living room was full of them. We had to wait for my dad to get home from work to start to open, but of coarse his Auntie Wawa allowed him to open one of her gifts.
He was sooo funny opening his gifts this year!!! With some of them he had to get the paper off, and still get into a box to actually see what he got....but it did not matter what was under the wrapping paper, as soon as the paper come off he was in aw. His eyes lit up and his mouth dropped open in amazement. We could have just got away with wrapping empty boxes and I think his reaction would have been the same.
After we opened our new PJ's it was time to get in them and get our treats set out for Santa and the reindeer. Jaxon has a special plate for Santa, and we loaded it up with shortbread, and peanut butter balls, and of course a carrot for the reindeer.
When we woke up in the morning the cooks were just about all ate, and the carrot had been nibbled on quit well, there was only a dribble of milk left and there was a note from Santa for Jaxon thanking him for the special treat. Jaxon carried around that carrot all morning showing everyone that Santa's reindeer had ate it. 
The riping then began. Santa wrapped his gifts that he left for Jaxon this year, but I think that maybe next year I am going to write him and ask him not too. It was just too much for Jaxon. With all the gifts that he got from Curt and I, from Cara and Justin and from my mom and dad he really started to lose interest once he got a few opened.
He loved everything he got, but this years big hit was the load of dinky cars that he got with a new mat for the floor to play with them on. He plays with that thing for hours, and he even got a carrying case for all his cars that he can cart around like a suitcase on wheels, and that he does. I find that thing everywhere.
After the excitement of Santa, and all of his gifts it was time to get packed up to head over to the other gammie and poppy's place for some more excitement. We got there early afternoon, and Jaxon needed to have a little rest before his cousin Reed got there and it was time to getinto round 2. He laid down for a nape and 3.5 hours later he finally decided to wake up. This Christmas thing was just too much for a 2 year old.
After Reed finally showed up we were able to get at it. It was complete and under kayos!!!! Everyone got their gifts handed to them and the ripping began. I was trying to sit back and take it all in and see what everyone received, but from trying to help Jaxon with his gifts, and trying to get my own opened it was a mad house. I think that maybe next year I might suggest that we go one at a time, and let the boys open their's together. That is how we do it at my mom and dads and it is nice because you get to see what all everyone got. I come home from there not knowing what Curt had received, let alone everyone else.
We were spoiled of course!!! Both Curt's parents and mine are way too generous with their gift giving. We are very lucking to have the parents that we do, and we love that they like to make Christmas what it is.
We had dinner at Curt's parents place with his Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Randy and after we got our phone call in with the rest of them out west it was time to head home and try to organize all of these new things that we brought into our house. On the way home were were talking and decided that we need a bigger house!!!
On Boxing day I got up with Jaxon nice and early and got my tree taken down. It had to come down right away so that I could try to find room for all the toys that Jaxon had got for Christmas. When I decorate for the holidays I decorate in snowman, so I leave those up for most of the winter so for me to take down my Christmas decorations down it really only involves taking our tree down, along with our stockings and a few other things. Once I got tidied up, I decided that it was as good as time as any to get my cleaning for the week done, so finally at 3:30 I sat down, but I had my house put back together from the holiday kayos, and also had it cleaned from top to bottom.
The next day we were having my mom's family celebration, and I was hosting it. I had to have it at my mom and dad's place because there would have never been enough room in our tiny house to fit everyone, so I spent a bit of time over there on Boxing day getting thing ready for the dinner, and then was over there bright and early the next morning getting things ready. My mom was nice enough to get up and get the turkey ready and put it in the oven for me at 3:00am, thank god, and she made the turnip casserole the week prior and froze it. I had to get things set up, get the potatoes done, and the gravy, and the turkey carved...ect. ect. ect. The day went off with no glitches, and I believe that my first hosting was a success.
The kids also exchange names on this side of the family. After dinner they went outside to play but when they come it there was not holding them back any longer...they wanted to get into their gifts. They all had to wait their turn, as we went from youngest to oldest.....
Jaxon was first, and the older kids help the little ones get their gifts and let them know what it was!!!
The day turned out great, and it was a wonderful ending to our Christmas celebrations. By that night I was ready to lay my head down on the pillow and not wake up until 2011, but with a 2 year old in the house we were up right on que, 8:00 am!!!
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