Our Christmas

We went back to NJ for Christmas and stayed for 6 days. We had a great time once again and here are some photos from our stay...
***Some of these pics are out of order!
E holding F...remarkably, I caught them both smiling!

While we were there, Aunt S and Uncle R wanted to celebrate the last night of Chanukah again so that their boys could be there to light the candles. They have this fun tradition of lighting all their menorahs...they have quite a few! We had fun seeing whose candles burned the slowest and the fastest-

Miss A had fun decorating cookies with Aunt S-

I experimented with my culinary skills by attempting a pecan pie for the first time...little by little, I am bringing a little bit of southern cuisine to the table each holiday...thanks to the encouragement of Aunt S and the rest of the family! My pie did not turn out quite the way I wanted but it tasted good and it looked great-

Miss A on Christmas Day standing in front of S and R's tree-

Miss A opening her present from her Gram-

We gave her a doll sling that she can carry her dolls in so she can be like Mommy. I got this cute one on etsy.com-

Miss A and Baby F-

Me holding Baby F-

Miss A and Baby F again-

Of course it goes without saying that the box is just as fun as the gift-

Once again, Baby F was sleeping during the main meal...this time it was Christmas dinner-

Miss A eating-

Baby F smiling for the camera-

Miss A in pigtails...she loved getting her "hair did" by her Aunt S!!! She requested "hair" about 3-5 times a day-

I tried my hand at the cornbread dressing again...Aunt S and I made it together just like last time and this time it turned out more moist and even more delicious-

 

E having some fun giving Miss A a little sliding time in the foyer-

 

Here's a pic of the 4 of us on Christmas day just relaxing-

 

Christmas Dinner from left-Great-Grandmom, Miss A, L, E, and K (E's cousin)-

 

From left-K, Gram, Aunt L, Uncle V, J (E's cousin), Uncle R, Aunt S, Great-Grandmom, L-

  

Christmas Eve cookie decorating with Aunt S, Miss A, Gram and me with Baby F in the Moby wrap (I love that thing!)

 

I love this pic of Aunt L holding Baby F...Baby F's eyes don't have "red eye" and he just looks so cute to me and Aunt L just looks radiant and glowing-

 

When we came back from NJ, we decided to open the rest of our presents the next morning on the 30th. So, when Miss A woke us up bright and early, we all came down so she could see the rest of her presents...we kept it simple again this year with a stoller and a broom and one wrapped gift under the tree....the other gifts she got from us we took with us to NJ for her to open-

 

Miss A opening a gift for Baby F from his Aunt A, Uncle A, and cousin N in Louisiana-

 

E opening his presents...it's a coffee press he wanted...

Later that day, we went to Gram's house to open the rest of the presents she had for us and Miss A and Baby F...here's Miss A opening a present from Gram-

Here's a pic of the 4 of us in front of Gram's tree...we've taken a pic in front of her tree every year...