....And a happy new year!

Since the world of blogging has pretty much gone dark for most of my friends I find myself getting behind, but I do want to have memories recorded so I am going to try and be a little better. 

First of all, this has been a really hard week...but more on that later.

I do want to just remember a few things about our Christmas and New Year's celebration in sunny Southern California.  It was wonderful. We've had such summer like weather it is great to enjoy the beach all winter long, we went for a nice walk on the beach on Christmas Eve and loved having Daddy home. We had a great Christmas Eve celebration at my parents where we spent the night, my little brother, Rhett and his wife and my little sister Sarah and her husband and 3 and half year old were there to enjoy a festive ham dinner with all the fixings, thanks to my awesome mother.  Dinner was followed by the traditional nativity story with sing-a-long tunes and then opening one present each, we of course then put out cookies and milk and carrots for Santa and his reindeer, then we walked through the neighborhood to see all the Christmas lights the perfect way to spend Christmas Eve.  While Troy and Luca slept we sat together watching National Lampoons Christmas vacation, while Santa worked his magic!  Soon enough Christmas morning came and little Luca, being three and half was so excited, I loved watching him run down the hall to claim his Truck that Santa had left and then we all dug into our stockings that were overflowing!  Stockings are a family favorite and I am so thankful for a crafty mom who made a stocking for Troy this year. We really scored as a family with so many wonderful gifts and we felt really spoiled, especially Troy, he got toys galore and he's loving them all!  We're so thankful to have such wonderful Christmas memories. 

Christmas Eve walk on the beach

Papa Jeff and Troy

Santa Baby and Mommy Elf

Santa came!

Troy's gift from Santa - he loves it!

Cousins

Troy with his stocking!

Merry Christmas!

Looking tired, but happy on Christmas morning

It was also Troy's three month birthday on Christmas so of course we had to capture him in his Baby's First Christmas outfit!  Also he found his feet that day.  All the sudden he just started grabbing his little toes on the changing table.  These days he puts them in his mouth as much as he can.

Nana Carol and baby Troy on Christmas!

Happy little 3 month old!

Adam and Troy napping on Christmas - they are twins

The day after Christmas my older sister Julie and her family joined us and stayed through the New Year.  We had such a good time together and the perfect weather continued.  We made a few trips to the beach, went to the park where Troy had his first go on the swings and down a slide. On New Years Eve it was even warm enough to take a dip in our pool.  We rang in the New Year together as family with great food and lots of fun.  Troy didn't make it to midnight, which I was grateful for.  But he did great transitioning from car seat to cradle when we got home at 1:30am.  We loved having everyone here.  Kai was particularly fond of Troy and really entertained him and got him squealing and laughing.  We miss you all!

Cousin Noah meeting Troy for the first time

Kai and Troy

Bedtime stories from cousin Mia

Love

Good times at the park

Loving the swings

Chicken fight

Sleepy baby poolside

Cannon Ball

My first New Year

More sleepy baby

Beach fun!

Happy New Year from the Billen Bunch

silly family

Happy New Year!

Love my sisters

What good memories we made.  I am thankful for them.  Especially as I sit here typing this during the first good nap Troy has had in a week.  Let's just say he's been going backwards on the sleeping track and we're working on it, but it's tough!

 Here's hoping 2014 is good to you all!