Christmas Recap {Show Us Christmas}

What a great way to end the Christmas link-up hosted by myself and Aly by recapping all the wonderful things we did over the Christmas weekend! I hope everyone enjoyed all their gifts and were surrounded by those they love most.  I can't wait to see what everyone was up to!!

As for the S household, we were a busy little bunch.
Christmas Eve we started out by picking up the little one from my parent's house {Andrew's birthday was the 23rd and we stayed downtown that night}. We headed back home singing Christmas carols {ha} and then took a nice little nap {much needed}. 

Elliana got dressed in her "Christmas Eve day get-up" and she of course looked as cute as ever. I think that as soon as she put that outfit on she felt like she owned everything and everyone. She pranced around like a little beauty queen making all sorts of ruckus.

Meanwhile, Mama and Papa are running around the house trying to get thinks packed and get the car loaded for the weekend. Not to mention the ten million presents we had to somehow squeeze into the car. That was fun.

Eventually, we made it. We got ready. Everyone got themselves all spiffy good looking and headed out the door to my parents house. Well, first, we had to roll around the ground like a wild woman. And by we, I mean Elliana.

At my parents house the Christmas music was playing, the home smelt of my mother's home cookin' {russian home cookin'} and the mood was set.

My brother, sister-in-law, and nephew arrived shortly after. Lots of hugs and kisses went around as I hadn't seen my brother for over a month {what a shame, we live only 30 minutes away}, and I even gave him his birthday card/present then. His birthday was November 30th. Oops.

In no time, we were gathered around the table, giving our Christmas toasts, and eating a mucho delicious meal. Mucho mucho. The dogs were begging at our feet in their usual style, and the kiddos were ready to go and play.

Due to the ridiculous amounts of presents {took up almost the whole room} we had to open presents in spurts. And we had to start soon if we ever wanted to get done and get to bed.

And the chaos began. One after the other. Presents were being thrown. My nephew was opening presents that weren't his. Elliana was getting lost in the piles. Drinks were getting spilled. And the P household had turned into a real-life zoo on Christmas.

We had to finally stop and take a break it was so insane.

So what do we do when we take a break? Why, we go and eat more. That is what Russians do. We love our food, and we love to take breaks. Because we hate being overwhelmed. Wait... I think everyone is like that, no?

Christmas Day we woke up early at my parents house, loaded up the rest of the stuff, gave Elliana a quick bath, and got her into her dressed into her cute little Christmas Jammies.

She of course snoozed in the car, and we arrived to Louisville in no time where Andrew's parents, sister and brother-in-law, and nana were waiting for us.
We ate a nice hearty breakfast {never disappointed over there} and then soon gathered around to celebrate Andrew's birthday. That's a first. Seeing as how he was born 2 days before Christmas, we cannot celebrate Christmas until we celebrate his birthday.

So we opened presents and cut the cake and said... "Hurry up Andrew." Not really. But I'm sure that's what we all were thinking.
And then we opened presents for hours. Elliana wasn't as into the opening of the presents this day as she was the night before, but I think that's because she didn't have her crazy wild cousin around showing her the ropes.

Regardless, we all had a blast.

Elliana got pooped out again, took a nice nap, while dinner was being served. We ate a nice Christmas dinner, with {per Andrew's and his sister's request} a special deep fried turkey and it was glorious to say the least.

Here are the dogs. Also waiting to taste one of the sweetest things to have blessed this earth.

The night ended with drinks, basketball, and a whole lot of baby stealing phones, remotes, and pressing buttons.

Oh what a joy.

And early the next morning, we enjoyed more amazing family time. More great food. And Elliana got lots of snuggles from her grand-pa.

We were all pooped by the end, and it has definitely been wonderful to finally be home. However, we came home with 6 full large trash bags of stuff, not including the big item boxes.... and we have no desire to put it all away.

I've started.... but I sure have a ways to go!!

And about those gifts? Here is just a glimpse of some of those goodies that our families spoiled us with!

and I forgot to add the Keurig in this picture...
because we do have one of those now. Hahaha. Yes. He was thrilled.