A Love that Grows Stronger: Lincoln's First Christmas

Lincoln's first Christmas was a good one. We got to spend quality time with everyone we wanted to. The hardest part is that it always seems to go by so quickly.

Christmas eve is always spent at my Grandma Schutz's house. A tradition that since being married I have not wanted to give up and since Adam's family doesn't have any traditions when it comes to Christmas, we've always gone to my grandma's house since for me its about getting to spend time with my whole family...all 40ish of us. All of my aunts uncles and cousins on my dad's side are there and we have dinner, and have a good time together opening presents and things like that but for me its about the little traditions. Spending time with Lincoln's Godfather for one, eating Ice box cookies, frozen fruit salad (which she neglected this year ::gasp::) and just hanging out with all of my amazing family memebers.

This was Lincoln's first experience with the Schutz side of the family's Christmas ever and it went off with out a hitch (thank goodness, both of his grandparents were there! :) ). Everyone loved him and the two cousins that hadn't met him yet got that opportunity. I truly love all of my family and I love the holidays since that is one of the times when we all get together. My dad's side of the family is lucky enough that most of us are local (northsiders and southsiders), and only one Chicagoian. We are lucky enough that we get together fairly frequently with Purdue football games and things so it's safe to say we are a close knit family. But there is just something about the holidays that makes our time together so special.

with my aunt sarah

mom and auntie

allison Laura and Lydia

Lydia and her uncle matt

I LOVE THIS picture

with his Godfather!

my cousin Jamie finally got to meet him!

Laura and Stacie

4 generations

GiGi and her great grandkids

Christmas morning Adam, Lincoln and I woke up a little later than we had wanted, around 9 (Lincoln slept for 8 hours!) and we took our time getting ready and then headed over to my parents house. I loved getting to wake up Christmas morning just the 3 of us and relax and enjoy this special family time. There is just something about waking up in your own bed on Christmas morning and getting to spend it with the people you love the most in life. I feel so blessed for my little family this year

At my parents house my sister and I opened our Santa gifts. Yes Santa still comes for my sister and I. My mother to this day has not and will not acknowledge that Santa does not exist. So he still comes year after for us. wonder how we are going to explain this to Lincoln in coming years...such as why Santa comes for mommy and daddy at mimi and papa's house but not at Pop and Grandmas...guess we'll have to think about this one. And yes my mom and dad spoil us. Stacie and I open about 10 gifts each, they are usually dumb things that were seen on TV, last year we got the strap perfects! Then we get one big gift. Adam and mine was a new GRILL!!! I will have a whole separate post on that one!
Here are a few of the highlights

Auntie and her little Santa on Christmas morning

Opening His first gift for Christmas

With my favorite present of his!! A LINCOLN penny collection from 1909.
Even auntie said she wished she had a cool name like Lincoln

with papa

cutie boy

our little santa

Our first Christmas together

Mimi and Papa and their grandson

After our breakfast of cinnamon rolls and biscuits and gravy we headed home and got ready to go to Adam's brother and fiance's house to celebrate with Adams parents and grandparents.

Adam and I are lucky that his parents are so accommodating when it comes to Christmas. They don't really care when we get together as long as we get together to celebrate. It just so happened with our work schedules they had to come to us this year, or wait until after the new year to celebrate so they chose to come up to us. Andrew's fiance cooked a yummy meal for all of us and we really enjoyed spending time with all of them.

Unfortunately Adams parents and grandparents only stayed up here for the day which I was more than disappointed about. I offered to have them stay longer so they could get to spend time with their grandson but they had things they had to get back to at home. Hopefully we will all be able to get together again soon. I just really hate how far away they live!!! I can't wait for them to move up to Indy!!! In the words of my sister...MOVE UP HERE ALREADY! :)

here are some of the highlights...