Christmas 2010!

Finally! A Christmas post :). We had a wonderful holiday season and I can't believe that it is already over :(. My Christmas started Thursday the 23rd (McGladrey gave us to additional holidays this year ::happy dance::) I went to a workout class on Thursday morning and then we all anxiously awaited Uncle Mark and Aunt Grete's arrival! We decorated cookies in the morning and the girls got pedicures in the afternoon! 53rd Street was crazy and we saw a fairly serious accident happen on the way home from our pedicures so we decided to just stay home for the rest of the afternoon. Thursday night was dinner at the Club, which was delicious as always and the kid did fairly well minus one fork throwing incident by Miss Addison :).

Hatz Family at the Club

Friday, December 24th
Christmas Eve morning we woke up to snow! And lots of it. We debated on whether or not to go to Pilates in the morning and decided to suck it up and just go. So we packed up the kids and headed to the Bettendorf Y. The roads weren't too bad but the snow makes my mom a little nervous so when she saw the car in front of us was turning left (we had more than enough time to stop) she let out an,"oh, shit." And then it happened....we heard a little voice in the back whisper, "shit." That's right, my son said his first curse word. We tried to muffle our laughter and not make a big deal out of it and he hasn't said it again and, although I hate to admit it, it was a little funny especially since he wasn't repeating Matt or I.

After Pilates we went home and relaxed. Luckily my brother brought down his gift from Grete's parents. A little remote control helicopter. Or "copter" as Carter referred to it. Carter LOVED it!! He squealed everytime it went in the air followed by a constant state of giggles until it was on the ground. It was so cute, Mark would ask Carter "Ready?" and Carter always replied, with an enthusiastic scream, "READY!" Hayden loved the helicopter too and may or may not have broken it when she attacked the thing after it landed - Hayden is sorry Uncle Mark! We also went outside a little bit so Carter could play in the snow! He loved being outside and didn't want to come in even though his little cheeks were bright red!

Carter's reaction to the "copter"

Sledding

Eatin' Snow

Friday night we went to my parent's church for Mass and our friend's house after for her annual Christmas Eve party. Carter did pretty well in church. He really liked listening to all the music and would quietly play with his toys. But by the end of Mass he was getting a little restless and kept pointing at Matt and telling the people behind us, "Matt, Matt." Silly man!

After our party we came home and Carter got to open a present before bed. Actually it ended up being two because I forgot which package I wrapped his Christmas jammies in. After opening and putting on the jammies Carter was all snug in his bed as visions of sugar plums danced in his head :).

First Present

Saturday, December 25th
Christmas Day!! We woke Carter up in the morning with a Merry Christmas and excitedly told him that Santa had visited the night before. Carter understood more of Christmas this year in the sense that he could open his gifts and knew who "ho ho" was but didn't necessarily make the connection. He did pretty well opening his gifts but of course got bored with the opening of the presents and just wanted to play with all the toys he had already opened.  After opening gifts at home, we went to Grandma and Papa T's house to open even more gifts and yet another gift opening at Grandma and Papa Hatz's house after that!!

Sit & Spin!

 Carter felt the need to wear this headband all Christmas night... I have no idea!

It was a little overwhelming for Carter Man but we had a great day and even got in a little more sledding after nap and before dinner. This time we went to Duck Creek for some bigger hills than just my parent's front yard :). Carter had so much fun going down the big hills but Addison wasn't so sure. We were all having fun until the hill got a little more crowded and poor Grete was completed leveled by some heavy 40 year-old man who should have known better. After that, we headed home for our Christmas dinner!

After a wonderful dinner it was game night first a round of dominoes and then Left, Right, Center. I won two rounds!!

Sunday, December 26th
Sunday came all too fast and it was time to say goodbye to Mark and Grete - boo! But first! We went to Johnny's Steakhouse for lunch and to celebrate Katie's 30th Birthday!!! And then to my parent's for Birthday cake.

It was such a wonderful long holiday weekend and it felt so much more like Christmas this year since Mark and Grete were in town.  And experiencing the holidays with two little ones around was amazing. Seeing everything through their eyes is such a joy and reminds us about what the holidays are really about.

"Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved."

- Augusta E. Rundel