Adventure Is Out There: A Very Merry Jennings Christmas

Ok, so it's already 2016 and I'm just now writing a post about Christmas...oops! Things have been a little crazy around the house and I finally found some time to sit down.

The Christmas season started for us with a visit to Santa Claus at a local rec center. I was hesitant as to how Carson would react to Santa this year, but it was a great year and he LOVED Santa! He ran right up to him and gave him a big hug!

Next on the agenda was a trip to the Hudson Gardens light display. Although still chilly, the frigid Colorado nights hadn't arrived quite yet, so it was a great evening to stroll the gardens. Cooper loved looking at all the lights (if you can't tell by his big eyes gazing in all the pictures) and Carson was in to the "cool lights" on houses so he enjoyed them as well. We also got to see Santa and take a wagon ride.

My parents came to town the weekend before Christmas to babysit for Reid's office Christmas party. We opened some Christmas presents with them before they went back to Kansas.

Christmas morning Cooper decided to get up earlier than normal. He didn't seem interested in waiting for everyone else to wake up so I used the opportunity to take some pictures of him and then let him dig in to his stocking. Shorty after Carson and Reid woke up and the rest of our stockings were opened. While Carson enjoyed round 1 of gifts, we cooked some cinnamon rolls, put on Michael Buble and ate some breakfast before getting in to all the gifts under the tree. It was a LONG distracted morning and I helped Carson unwrap half his presents it seemed like! Carson's favorite toys were his broom from Santa, kitchen food from Santa and Nonni and a remote control car from Great Grandma Joyce. Cooper loved the teething rings from Santa and a rolling ball from his cousins in North Carolina. I wish I could say Christmas was nice and relaxing but Carson was not in the best of moods which followed by some weird stomach bug that lasted about 6 hours. Poor daddy had to do house work on Christmas and his birthday.

When the morning of presents finally settled down, we decided to head to South Valley Park for a family hike. We've been able to get out for a hike for a few years now so hope to get out every year! The temperature was chilly, but it was lightly snowing big flakes and it was just beautiful outside!!

After our hike it was time to switch gears for the day and get ready to celebrate Reid's birthday. It was a milestone birthday this year as he turned the big 3-0! I decided to make his wish come true and whip up a gin and tonic cake. Aside from getting stuck in the pan, it turned out pretty good!

The Christmas celebrations ended with a trip for Carson and Reid to the Santa's Lighted Forest Train at the Georgetown Railroad the Monday after Christmas. He got to see Santa again, got some jingle bells and got to eat/drink lots of unhealthy things!