christmas pictures

Last year, Joe and I decided to do 5 Christmases in 5 days so that we could see everyone since we knew that we would not do 5 Christmases in 2012. And then we did. 

We do love our family and it was hard to tell them no. But by the end of the Holidays, we were exhausted and decided to be more proactive in next year's planning (we'll see).

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Our first Christmas was in Huntsville with Joe's dad's family.

This is the only pic I have, which I stole from my sister in law, It's Emmy with her Bell, the talking dog from Hallmark. I think I loved this more than her!

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On Christmas Eve we drove to Centre to join Joe's mom's side of the family. They live on Weiss Lake so we went outside to take a few pictures and well, they didn't go too well. 

Believe it or not, this look wasn't even directed at me. I don't know what happened, I just looked at the camera and these were their faces. I laughed hysterically, then regrouped for one good one.

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Then we drove back home and met my sister and brother-in-law to make cookies, watch Home Alone and drive around looking at lights. Courtney takes the most amazing pictures and it's always so hard to choose which ones to post! 

Emmy loves her Uncle Alex but that doesn't mean she's going to share her apple!

She stayed up way too late. All the traveling got her schedule off and this is her happy as a clam at 10pm. 

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My dad and his wife came over Christmas morning with Courtney and Alex. We had to wake Emmy up at 10 so we could open presents with her! I might have been more excited about her new toys than she was. 

But she did love getting into her daddy's stocking (check out her hands)!

and... my favorite gift of all was what me, Courts and Alex got for Joe: karate lessons!

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We left to go to my mom's house around lunchtime. Mom loved holding Emmy while we opened our presents. In all the chaos of ripping presents and tossing bows and ribbons, Emmy fit right in. She just crawled all over it tossing ribbons behind her. 

The whole family at the table... except Courtney who didn't make one single picture because she took them all. I guess next year she's going to have to get a tripod for that camera!

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Our last Christmas was back at our house on Thursday night with Joe's dad and sister. We had a blast with all of our family but I think next year will have to be a little different. Joe and I need to focus on our little family and make sure that we do what we want, not just what everyone else asks us to do. 

This was still one of my favorite Christmases of all time. I imagine it only gets better as they get older and more aware of what's going on. I can't wait until next year!