Griswold Family Vacation

Jason and I spent today putting all the Christmas decorations up. 

It's such a sad day and my house looks so naked now!

We had a great Christmas. 

We attended the Christmas Eve service at the church and then ended our evening fellowshipping with our family & some of our church family. This year, Jason & I sang with the choir during the service. It was a song from the Christmas Cantata we did a few weeks before. It was a night full of singing & great preaching. It was such a sweet evening. 

We made it over to Jason's parent's house around 6:30 in the morning to exchange gifts with them. 

It was so fun spending time with them, sharing the gifts we all bought for one another. Jason's mom got me a blanket (that's sweater material!) with famous quotes from various books--is there such thing as more of an "Ellen present" than that? I think not! 

Afterwards, we made our way to my parents house and opened gifts and had breakfast with them. Jason & I were the elves this year. We did all the shopping, for just about everyone. With Mary Claire & Grant's wedding being 5 days before Christmas, no one else had time to shop! It was actually really fun (for my at least) being the only one who knew what everyone got--even what we got ourselves was a surprise to my parents, for once. It was fun!

 So blurry, but so fitting. Their big gift to each other this year was perfume/cologne.

 Our new holiday "E" mugs

 I am also in love with my new camera strap!

After we cleaned up & packed up, we made our way to Auburn for the annual Griswold Family Christmas. This was a fun year because we had a baby in the mix! It was one of our smaller years--with so many newly-weds, we have to share ;) It's always a good time when we all get together. You can always count on loud conversations, good food, beer, shulbock, after Christmas sale shopping, and a lot of laughter.

 Little Barrett, one of the most precious little guys I've ever met. 

 You guys know I love a good Christmas mantle.

 How beautiful is this cross stitching my cousin did for her sister?! I think I've found a new thing I want to try!

 It wouldn't be a Griswold Christmas without a squirrel in the tree, right?

 Or Moose Mugs to drink the egg nog 

 All the cousins got to pick one of Nana's old pill boxes to have. Aren't they amazing?!

 THE BEST PIZZA, hands down. 

Johnny Brusco's Buffalo Chicken Pizza. 

While we were there, we spent some time going through Nana's stuff--pictures and boxes of little knick knacks. Some of the pictures are too good not to share!

 I love these two pictures of my Nana. 

 This one just made me laugh.

With this being the first Christmas without Granddaddy, I have to share this picture of Mom and him from Christmas years ago. I thought it was precious. 

I hope that you all had a joyous Christmas & that you all have a blessed New Years.