The Three Christmases

Every year the Bliven family celebrates three Christmases. We celebrate Christmas Eve with Grandma and Papa Busche, Christmas morning at home, and Christmas Day with Grandma and Papa Bliven.

Christmas #1: The Busche Christmas

On Christmas Eve we rolled into Hidden Brook Terrace around noon, ate a quick lunch of soup and sandwiches, and then started the Christmas mayhem. Now that Brady and Carter are getting older, they want to tear through the presents quicker (and so did Papa Busche). They also want to play with all their presents as they open them. We got through the presents quickly enough that the boys had a few hours to play before heading off to church. Nick's parents joined us for church and Christmas dinner of amazing beef brisket. We finally headed home in our new Super Mario pajamas in order to set up for Christmas #2!

Christmas #2: Home for the Holidays
We are fortunate enough to live close enough to all of our family that we are able to see both sides of the family and still have a little quiet Christmas of our own at home. It is nice to have a little break from the traveling and visiting and enjoy our little family. Brad and Brady always make sure to set out cookies and milk for Santa the night before, and we love seeing Brady run down the stairs in the morning and open each of his presents. He was so excited this year and was very cute in commenting on each of the presents that he opened: "This is just what I wanted for Christmas!" and "This is awesome!" We also enjoy the Bliven family Caramel Rolls on Christmas morning...yum! Then it was off to Christmas #3 in West Virginia.

Christmas #3: Over the River and Through the Woods
After Christmas morning we head out to Brad's parents house in West Virginia for our third, and final, Christmas of the season. We literally go over the river and through the woods to Grandma and Papa Bliven's house! Paul and Hillery join us to open gifts (and next year Landon will be opening gifts with Brady!) and Karen's parents come out for dinner as well. Not only are we blessed to live so close to both of our parents, but we are doubly blessed that we celebrate holidays together as well. After gifts and dinner, we take time again to relax and spend the night and most of the following day before heading back to clean, organize, and put away all the new toys and gifts.

By this point in the Christmas festivities, Cooper has had it! He is dreaming of his normal days of 18 hours of sleep, and has found a new use for our Christmas stockings.

Cooper isn't the only one who is exhausted by the end of the "three Christmases". Brad fell asleep in the car on the way home from West Virginia, and Karen took a quick nap before even taking her coat off with Cooper snuggled up on top of her. Brad was able to snap this picture before he sit down to rest as well!

Merry Christmas!

Love,

the Bliven family