Getting started on family fun

We headed to Gainesville first to start the family fun.  There's a couple of Christmas family gatherings on Kevin's family's side that we only sometimes get to attend, so it's fun when we are able to make it.  One is a Christmas Eve brunch with extended family on Carla's side of the family.  Brunch might be my favorite meal (if it actually counts as one), so I'm always excited for the food and the family.  Here's a picture of our family...

And here's a picture of most everyone who attended; four generations of family represented...

Later on that day we had some relaxing time, Jake and his cousins got to play, and we did family stockings.  I had to take this next picture because Jake's reaction was priceless.  He was opening up the stocking and was SO excited to get these underwear.  He literally pumped his arm and exclaimed "Yessss!!"  I've never seen such a reaction when it comes to underwear, especially when it's in the midst of other fun toys, but I'm happy Jake seems to still like the simpler things...

Here's Jake and Cohen with their matching bears that also came from Lawson stocking stuffers.  Jake especially liked his and slept with it that night...

It was then time for pj's and bedtime in preparation for Santa.  Here are these two handsome boys in their Christmas pjs...

Here are 3 of the 4 cousins getting Santa's milk and cookies ready (Campbell was already asleep by this point)...

And finally the four parents (Chad, Cassy, Kevin and I) took turns reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" before the kids headed to bed.

Another fun thing we did in Christmas Eve evening was have a Christmas story children's play.  I really wish I had pictures, because it was ADORABLE, but I was one of the "directors", so I didn't have a chance.  We dressed the kids up and they acted out the story of Jesus' birth while it was being read.  Jake was Joseph, Campbell was Mary, Cohen was a wiseman, and Channing was the angel.  They did surprisingly well being that there wasn'tr really any practice due to limited attention spans.  Jake was a specially good Joseph and did great tending to the baby doll Jesus.  It was a fun activity and an important reminder of what this time is really about.