Christmases ~

Being married is one of the most wonderful things in the world. But it can complicate holidays... especially when the two families aren't close in proximity to each other. Thankfully, in the two years we've been married, Aaron and I have been able to work it out so that we can spend the holidays with the whole family... whichever side that happens to be in a particular year. This year was a Klingenmaier Christmas, so after I finished work on Christmas Eve, we packed up the car and headed to the UP. We had a wonderful, relaxing weekend at Aaron's parents' house, and I'd have to say that Micah's first Christmas was a huge success! A BIG thank you to both sides of our family for keeping his gifts very reasonable! (our house is not large... we're already busting at the seams... so we requested not to have a ton of large gifts given to any of us, but especially Micah) I think Uncle Jim gets the prize for the largest gift... a little tykes basketball hoop... but he did ask before he just got it, and I gave it the ok. :)
But... back to the Klingenmaier Christmas. It's a lot easier to let the pictures do the talking, since they're more interesting than anything I could come up with to say anyways, so I'll just let you see for yourself what Christmas morning was like for us. Unfortunately, the one thing I forgot to pack was our battery charger for the camera, so my pictures are somewhat limited. I'll have to get some of the rest of the family's pictures and do a "part 2" post with those at some point. :)
The most exciting part of our weekend in the UP was that Micah really got the hang of walking! He had taken his first steps a few weeks earlier, but managed to master the skill over the Christmas weekend, and I think he gave Grandpa and Grandma K their best Christmas gift ever with that! :)

Walking to Aunt Tracy on Christmas eve ~

Micah went straight for his stocking on Christmas morning... I think mostly because he recognized the container of puffs sticking out of the top... but it was so cute to watch him make a beeline for his stocking! (which was handmade by Grandma K to match the rest of the kids' stockings)

Opening presents ~

Everyone got in on helping Micah open his gifts... even Emma! :)

Playing with Emma ~

Piles of new toys and things to play with all over the basement and Micah's most interested in the box... go figure! :)

One of Aaron's goals on Christmas morning is to not shower or get dressed... and he was pretty successful this year. Though he did put on his snow pants and take Micah outside to play in the snow.

Gotcha, daddy!

Going for a ride in the sled ~

Even Uncle Eric got in on the fun!

A family picture in the snow before heading inside to warm up ~

As you can see, it was a great time! Like I said, I'll get copies of the rest of the family's pictures and add those later... so stay tuned!

Our holiday fun didn't end there though! When we got back home to Illinois, we still had the Thomson Christmas celebration to look forward to. This event took place on December 29, which (as a side note) would have been my mom's dad's 110th birthday!, and besides being 4 days late, was just as much of a Christmas celebration as anything that took place on the 25th. We opened gifts together, had our traditional Swedish sausage and meatballs dinner, and played some games together before calling it a night. Again, I'll let the pictures do the talking, but I just have to say that it is a tremendous blessing to be a part of two amazing and loving families! I LOVE being married and celebrating some holidays twice each year. :)

The gift-opening frenzy at the Thomson house ~

Helping Pops smash down the paper in the trash can ~

Micah wasn't the only one who got toys for Christmas!

Help from Uncle Jim and Grannie ~

Elmo!

A train set like Pops has!

Basketball hoop!

When we were in California over Thanksgiving, Micah and Luke worked together on Christmas gifts for Grannie and Pops... here they are opening those gifts ~

Grannie got a hand-painted birdhouse and Pops got a hand-painted train... both done by their grandsons ~

Christmas really is one of the most wonderful times of the year. I love celebrating the fact that our Lord came down in human form as a baby to redeem us from our sins! And being able to do that twice in one year, with two incredible families, is a blessing!

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
~ 2 Corinthians 9:15 ~