Christmas 2012 and New Year's Eve

We had a super busy Christmas holiday, but it really reminded us how fortunate we are that most of our family lives within a few short hours of our home.  With Christmas being on a Tuesday, it gave us the perfect opportunity to take a four day weekend and actually see all sets of parents.  This is the first time that I can ever remember that we celebrated Christmas with my dad before Christmas, rather than in January.  

We started the weekend by picking up my niece Bella on our way to Hickory, so she could celebrate with us too.  We were able to spend all day Saturday with my dad, Karin, Bella and the four dogs (our 2 and their 2).  We hung out, exchanged gifts, ate delicious food, and took a hike through the woods with the dogs.  

Late Saturday night we left, headed almost an hour west to get Mark's grandma and then drove to Charlotte so that we could wake up and celebrate Christmas #2 on Sunday morning with Mark's dad and family.  We had a great relaxing visit with them on Sunday.  And...Mark and his dad dressed like twins, which was pretty funny to see.  

Monday, which to many was known as Christmas Eve, was "Grandma's Birthday", and we make a whole day celebration out of it.  If we didn't go to Christmas Eve service, we would never even know that Christmas was the next day.  We try to make the whole day about grandma, even though she whines and complains the whole time about having to celebrate another birthday :)  This year though, she admitted was one of her best birthdays so far! 

Is it sad this is the only picture I got of Grandma's birthday?!? 

Then Tuesday, Christmas morning, we woke up at Mark's mom's house.  We opened stockings (the gifts in the stockings are always so good, there is no need for gifts later in the day - but Mark's mom always outdoes herself).  Then we continued the tradition that Mark's family started several years ago, of going to the Soup Kitchen and serving the homeless.  Mark and I join every other year, since we split our Christmas mornings between my mom and his mom.  This year, Ken's girlfriend K.C. was able to join us too, which made it even more special.  I didn't take many pictures at the soup kitchen, but I did manage to catch one of Sally, all dressed up with her fanny pack on :) 

After serving, we went home opened some gifts and then headed over to my mom's house for dinner and Christmas #4.  My mom always outdoes herself with the cooking and this year was no exception.  We had lasagna and about a hundred different desserts.  

Despite the fact that we managed to squeeze 4 Christmas celebrations and Grandma's birthday into four days, the weekend actually felt quite relaxing and it was so enjoyable to be with family and celebrate the birth of our Savior.  I'm already looking forward to next Christmas (and with any luck maybe there will be a baby Harrill at our next Christmas celebration)  

Since Christmas was so busy, we decided to have a relaxing New Year Eve and New Years Day.  We went over Nick and Nicole's for New Years Eve and had a party... just us, them, and the dogs!  I even got to wear my pajamas to the "party" and really that was all I needed for the night to be an awesome one :)  New Years Day Laura and Michael had everyone over for a brunch...which I'm hoping becomes a tradition because it was such a good idea!  (hint hint Laura).  

Can you believe that 2012 is over?  I still am not used to saying its 2013!