Christmas 2010

We had a great Christmas Eve and Day and hope you did too!

We started our celebrations by heading down to Granna and Opa's house (Matt's parents'), where my parents, Matt's brother Andrew, his wife Alexis, and Alexis' parents all gathered as well. (Matt and his brother both had the wisdom to marry only children--simplifies the holidays!)

We took pictures with Nala and Popi (for their New Year's card)...

... and with Granna and Opa (just because).

My MIL always sets a beautiful table, and we enjoyed a delicious brunch!

After the meal, we opened presents between Matt's side of the family. Granna and Opa gave Kate a stuffed Elmo, a tea set, and several outfits. She has gotten so good at opening gift wrap, she had a blast with that, cheering for herself when all the wrapping was off the box, even before opening the box itself!

Aunt Alexis (a reading specialist by trade) gave Kate two fun books, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!and A Bedtime for Bear (Bear and Mouse). Kate loves to read, and has definitely been enjoying those new books!

Kate and Nala being cute...

... and roughhousing with Popi.

I love Kate's tights, I've just gotta say.

After driving back to our neck of the woods (Kate's only nap of the day being on the ride home!), we went to Christmas Eve service, then came home to get Kate in her jammies, put out milk and cookies for Santa, and read The Night Before Christmas.

Christmas morning, we were so excited for Kate to see her new kitchen! I didn't take any pictures of her first seeing it, but you can see here how she is enjoying it, along with all the accessories the rest of us gave her--the tea set from Granna and Opa, the metal pots and pans from Matt and I, and the food and shopping cart from Nala and Popi.

Then Kate checked out the rest of her stocking!

And then we opened the rest of our gifts!

Popi made a cute coat rack for Kate.

After our traditional breakfast of egg sausage casserole, we went out and played in the snow on this wonderful white Christmas!

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas, and enjoy this (hopefully quiet and lazy) final week of 2010!