A Ross Christmas Story

Well our trip to Minnesota got a little delayed with Brian being sick but we made it and froze our butts off. Seriously, Minnesota is only 5.5 hours away but it is SO much colder! How the heck did I live there for 22 years?!  Our trip was a little hectic with so many Christmas's but overall we had a great time. Probably wouldn't travel again a couple days after a deployment ends but it was nice to see family.  Here was our Christmas:

At our first Christmas party Layla and her friend Lola got matching hats. And shared the affinity for sucking.

Brady was excited for our Christmas with Brian's family

Where everyone was spoiled..

beyond belief! 

We took a trip to the Mall of America (of course)

Ate some yummy food

And rode some rides.  Brady wanted to ride this...look at that drop!

Here's a video of him on it with Nana and Brian!

And this was his face after it. Doesn't quite get how to do thumbs up. (This is his excited face mixed with I got wet on that ride and that was crazy! face if you couldn't tell).

And Layla saw some more characters.

We got to do Christmas with some friends and Layla's godfather. And I of course forgot my camera but we had a wonderful Christmas with my good friends from high school and college.

And if that wasn't enough Christmas for you..here's Christmas Eve

where we colored pictures of Santa

made Christmas cookies  (my favorite, spritz!!)

Ate way too many delicious meals. Seriously. I think I weigh at least 5 pounds more!

Had way too many presents under the tree again

And got to watch the kids light up seeing every new toy. Because, honestly, it's all about them. And it's great.

We tried taking a family picture which went oh so well

Yeah...

We got to wear our new jammies

Say cheese for jammies!

We wrote a letter to Santa

And left carrots for the reindeer too, duh.

And Santa came! He came! He got his Thomas he wanted oh so badly.

We also went and saw the movie Frozen. It was good!

Oh and we tried to fit sleeping in there too. After 5 quick days we said goodbye to frigid Minnesota and came back to 66 degree Omaha weather.

Layla caught Brian's bug while we were in Minnesota and added a nice stomach element to it.  It's just so fun driving in the car with that puke smell.  And with a car absolutely filled to the brim with presents.

But luckily she's much better now and back to eating like a champ. (This is for you, Jenn). ;)

And we had our family Christmas in Omaha.  So. Many. Presents. Make. It. Stop!  This is what I get for doing my Christmas shopping in October.

But this present business never gets old, does it Brady?

Rascal enjoyed it too.

And Layla decided it'd be nice to feed something other than herself.

We're still trying to dig out of all of the wrapping paper, presents, laundry, boxes, and insanity that was this year's Christmas.  I'm thinking next year we may opt to do a nice low key Christmas. In the Bahamas.