Happy Birthday, Jesus! This Christmas season we went low-key at the Latham house. I felt guilty for not hanging our Advent calendar with fun prizes for the girls. Then the Lord told me that it was all okay. Instead we could focus more on Him. So we did. And Christmas was wonderful. I didn't get stressed (well, maybe a little once or twice), and the kids really enjoyed Christmas. Not presents and candy and parties, but meaningful time with family and celebrating Jesus.
On Christmas morning we had a yummy breakfast before opening gifts. We were all shocked that the kids wanted to eat first!!
Robert got all things transportation. And he loved having Uncle Nick there to help him open it all and put it together ASAP!!
Robert's number one Christmas request was a big blue car. Not as easy to find as you might think!
Mom and Henry continued the Hess truck tradition, and this year's model did not disappoint!
The girls were so sweet. They would open each gift and really look at it and love it before moving on to the next one.
For their big gift, Robbie and I took them into New York City to the American Girl Doll store the next day!! I'm not sure who was more excited...me or the girls!
We had the most fun with Greg's gifts. He loves the show 'Big Bang Theory,' so Mom found him a couple of things for his stocking. Things like a dickie. And a glass urine collector bottle. (Apparently the show is about someone working on the Space Station. Greg is working in Las Vegas for a private company designing their own space station.)
Of course we put the dickie on Robert!
Greg was not the only one who got interesting presents. He gave Nick several little things that I could not figure out. (Let me interject by saying that all of these boys are engineers. Robbie fits right in. I do not.) Here's Nick opening two steel plates. Um, thanks Greg. Turns out Greg gave him all of the supplies needed to make thermite (burns through things). Later that week all of the boys went outside and burned holes through these steel plates. True story.
Once we were finished with presents, it was time to get dressed and get ready for family. Lots of family!
My mom's sisters, Mary and Kathy, and her brother, Alan all came! So did Mary and Kathy's families!
Here are all of the cousins (and our kids) that were there. I didn't bother to edit this picture, because Mom someone left out Robert. Someone somewhere has this picture with ALL of us in it, but I can't find it!
Mary and her family. My cousin Evan and his wife Missy are on the right. Their dog Brody is a sweet one!! (Evan and Missy are, too!)
And here we all are! Can you tell Mom was so happy to have all of us home?!
My Aunt Kathy's family left before we could get a group picture. So Francie our elf was her family.
Greg's second calling is anything culinary. He found avocados and made avocado mousse for one of our desserts. Amazing! 
We had a fantastic day! Robert was pooped by the end of the end of the night. So were we!!
But Mom wasn't going to bed until all of the silver was dried and put away. Another true story.
Christmas was a month ago, but we are still talking about how wonderful it was. We so appreciate Mom and Henry having us there for an entire week! We always are so loved and taken care of at their house!!
Hope your Christmas was wonderful, too!
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