Christmas with the Smiths!

Christmas celebration number one began with Sherry's family this year.  We drove to Sherry's parents house (Nana and Papa) on Thursday night after Sherry got off work so that we could spend at least one whole day with her parents and come back home on Saturday (Christmas Eve).  The kids were wonderful in the car.  Brody slept most of the way there after we stopped for dinner, and Evan watched his movies in the backseat.  Mommy and Daddy actually love these times in the car because it gives them some much needed quiet time to just talk together...or sing along to the radio!  Haha!  On Saturday, Mommy spent most of the day helping Nana and Papa wrap presents and prepare their  home for the celebration.  That evening, Uncle Paul arrived with his large family (all 4 kids and counting).  Sherry had put in her request for some good ol' Eastern NC barbeque so the menu was easy...just a quick trip to Wilbur's in Goldsboro to pick up the food.  After dinner, we all tackled a huge mound of presents and just enjoyed watching the kids go crazy.  It is our family circus!


Brody enjoyed his first visit at Nana and Papa's house.



Nana and Papa get ready for the whole gang to be together for Christmas.



Brody got to meet our special friend, Mrs. Diana.



And his favorite part was getting to play with his new best pal, cousin Cate.




Looks like he was trying to hold her hand.



The kids enjoyed playing together before dinner and present opening.



Brody and Daddy enjoy sitting back and watching the action.



Uh oh, someone is getting sleepy!



The present pile has definitely grown in the last few years.





The kids' table has filled up...gonna need a bigger one next year!



Pretty cousin Cate is ready for her first Christmas!



Cate enjoyed Nana's singing reindeer.



Brody liked it too.



Cousin Lanny is crazy about babies!



Evan gives cousin Cate some sweet love.



Happy cousins playing together...can't believe how big they are already!



Sweet, happy Cate!



Brody and Cate get the first presents!



Brody opening his first present.





Lanny and Reade get matching Ironman gloves that shoot lasers from cousin Evan. 



Cousin Emma gets a sweet pink package.



Papa and his second princess.



Brody is ready for his second present.





He got a talking, dancing puppy friend.



Cousin Emma got a new scooter.



And Cousin Lanny got a pogo stick.  Man, I don't remember my old one being that hard to maneuver...haha!



Cousin Reade got a Darth Vader head that is also a boombox.  Pretty cool!



Brody and Cate really liked his new puppy.



Aunt Sherry steals some sugar!



Future best friends, maybe?