Christmas...just the four of us.

So, of course, when you talk with people around the holidays, they ask,

"Are guys traveling to see family for Christmas?"
"Nope."
"Do you have family coming to visit then?"

"Nope. It's just us."

I was originally pretty bummed about this situation and even (unwisely) tried to convince Brian into driving the 10 hours through 5 mountain passes to his parent's house. Brian had 11 of 14 days off of work and it seemed a shame to not spend it with any family. Then I realized, WE are the "family", the four of us, and we have been having a great vacation "just us."

First, on Brian's birthday, the 19th, we went to Tacano's Brazilian Restaurant for dinner (yum!) then to the Boise Botanical Gardens. They put up 250,000 lights, cider and cookies, singing, Santa, reindeer--a bit over the top, but we all enjoyed it.

Then on Monday we went to Monkey Business, this great kids indoor playplace. Lots of bounce houses, mazes, obstacle courses and a huge 25 ft slide, as well as an area just for the babies.

That's Brian in the background looking at Jack who is buried in a self-made tunnel. The huge slide is in the background. This was the first time Jack actually asked to go down it more than once. Usually it's down once, then "All Done, All Done!" Too scary. Not anymore, our big boy!

PS Mom, they are both in their Christmas shirts you made!

Christmas Eve, we went to Planet Kid, a different indoor playplace, again with the tunnels and slides and ball pits. Lots of running and playing. Probably one of the top 5 parts of having kids: being able to be a kid yourself with them! I love the ball pit!

That night we went to Mass at 7pm, which is not a great time for us to being heading out the door to church with the kids, but that's when the service was so that's when we went!

And this is where one of the 5 suckiest parts of having kids comes in at-- 1.5 hours in the cry room, 3 poopy diapers, 1 de-pantings episode by Jack (that's right, I said de-pantings. He just stood in the middle of the room and pulled his pants down to his ankles!) and a partridge in a pear tree. I think I might have managed to sing a verse of Silent Night, thank the Lord for the wonderful gifts in my life, and say Happy Birthday to Jesus. However, the kids went to bed immediately once we got home, so Brian and I opened a bottle of red, had some cheese and crackers and watched "A Christmas Carol." Well...that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Next day, Christmas.

So. Much. Fun.

Jack "helped" everyone unwrap their gifts. Caleb was enamored by it all, but mostly by the bows and wrapping paper. If I haven't mentioned it yet, Caleb is crawling and pulling up, so nothing is safe.

Here's one of the boys in their new matching pj's from Aunt Laura and Uncle Tony. Now tell me they aren't just the cutest thing?

Here's Jack with his new monkey from his godparents, Liz (Brian's cousin) and BJ.

I'll post more pictures and some videos later next week.