Christmas

With two of my best friends wedding's the week before and the week after Christmas, we decided to make one big long trip out of it. We packed up the presents, suitcases, treats, baby, both dogs, and us into our two-door car and made the infamous four hour trek up to Salt Lake. We got lucky with the weather... no snow! Neal and I have had some pretty bad experiences in the past trying to drive up to SLC in a blizzard. It was a quick and easy drive and we're glad we made it up safe... all five of us. I think I need to mention that Leonard got shotgun... not cool.

Us Burks were especially excited for Christmas this year because we got to celebrate with our new little Liam. We knew it was going to be magical...kind of. My mom, Cindy, did an amazing job of decorating the house, everything turned out beautiful!
We spent Christmas Eve at my parents, this is my most favorite night of the entire year! I spent the day in the kitchen with my Mom baking and listening to Christmas music while Neal, Liam, and my Dad watched some football. Typical.
Liam was spent before the night even began! Maybe he was just too embarrassed by his cute Christmas outfit we made him wear that he wanted to just sleep through it.

Oh those cheeks, I'm obsessed. I love my sleepy little boy.
I forced my family to play the Christmas Carol Pictionary Game. There are 25 Carols drawn out as pictures in little boxes and you have to guess which ones they are. The person with the most right within the designated time wins. It's fun...google it. They all made fun of me because it was 'childish' but the game did not disappoint! Everyone got really into it and actually pretty competitive. I even caught my niece Jayde cheating at one point. Colin's cute girlfriend Jess beat them all and took away the grand prize, a huge Christmas Lollipop :)
This is probably the cutest Santa I've ever seen. Button nose. Huge rosy cheeks. Yep- cutest Santa ever.
Like father like son, right? Right. There is never a dull moment when these two are around. I love them so much. Growing up we would call ourselves the "Three Brophy's" (like the three musketeers, get it?) It's amazing to see what our family has grown into. I love them.
Cy baby loves his little cousin Liam. He always asks "When will Liam be a big kid so I can play with him?" He cannot wait for Liam to get just a little bit older so he has someone to play with at our family parties.
Cy was just so excited for Santa to come this year. I asked him to help me make my famous chocolate chip cookies for Santa. I'm excited for Liam to join in on the fun next year!
Uncle Nealdo showed Cy an amazing website that actually tracks Santa! We were able to watch Santa on google earth as he delivered his presents to children all over the world. It got a little freaky when the computer told Cy that Santa was in UTAH! Cy immediately started screaming, "Hurry up, he's in my neighborhood!" We all ran out front to see if Santa really was and sure enough we could hear him Ho Ho Ho'n from across the street!

Cy stood on the porch and called out, "Santy!!! It's you!!! You're really here!?! You made it!!!" Cy knew that meant he needed to get to bed ASAP so Santa would stop at our house.

It looks like Santa spent lot's of time at our house....evidence below.
Daddy (Neal) and Liam tried to get a peek at Santa but missed him. Santa did eat all my cookies though and took some beer! That Santa.
"And the children were nestled all snug in their beds" Well one was, we wanted to cuddle this sweet boy all night long.
I love precious moments like this. As we were all laying there Neal and I started talking about our first Christmas together in 2008. It seems so long ago and yet so much has happened since then. I never would have thought in a million years that three years from that night we would be married and cuddling our little boy as we prepare for Christmas morning together as a family. Best feeling and I'm so grateful.
Christmas morning was a flash! Paper and bows everywhere, Ooo's and Ah's, shrieks of excitement. It was a fun morning. And we all looked fabulous of course, including my dashing husband Nealio.
Grandma Cindy surprised Liam with this adorable Christmas pajama ensemble... with matching hats.
Oh Lenny! He loved being in on all of the action. He was naughty this year so he got absolutely nothing! Santa's a stickler.
Every year on Christmas morning Santa would bring onions for my dad. He stocking would be filled with them! We were always told that Santa's actually Irish and he's too poor to use coal so he uses onions instead. Go figure!

My dad must have made some great changes in life because he now gets his stocking filled with all kinds of good stuff!
Liam loves all 3 of his grandma's!!! Grandma Charlene, Grandma Cindy, and NiNi Judy!
Here's my niece Jayde loving on Liam. Her and Aysia wouldn't put him down that weekend. I loved it because it gave my arms a break and they looked adorable together. They are the best cousin/aunts :)
We had a very memorable Christmas this year. I still need to get the pictures back from Neal's family so I'll have to update those later. I'm already looking forward to next year, Merry Christmas! (Can you believe Liam will be one by then!?!)