Lowe Family Christmas

We're trying something new this year.  Last year we were home for Christmas out of necessity.  Marshall was barely a month old and we didn't want to travel with a newborn.  We celebrated with Travis's family before Christmas and my family afterwards.  While I enjoyed being in my own home for Christmas and actually having Santa on Christmas day, I missed my family terribly and by that I mean my entire family - parents, my sister, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.  That's what Christmas means to me - family.  So this year we're trying to have the best of both worlds.  We have traveled to Paris to celebrate with my family on Christmas Eve Eve and Christmas Eve, but after the celebrating is over Christmas Eve night we're putting the kids in their p.j.'s and their carseats and hitting the Interstate so we can still make it home to wake up for Santa gifts on Christmas morning.  Pray that we have safe travels.  I see a family nap in our future on Christmas afternoon.

So that being said, we celebrated with my parents, sister and brother-in-law tonight.  The kids and I have been in Paris since Tuesday night, but Emily, Luke and Travis came in this afternoon and the celebration really began.  Marshall got a rocking cow that Mom has been eyeing at Pottery Barn Kids for awhile.  It is pretty adorable, so I guess he'll go in the "pasture" with Jack's rocking horse.

Once again, the aunt's (and uncle's) gifts were a hit.  Marshall got a Pa-rum-pa-pum-pum-pum-drum filled with instruments.  At first, Travis wasn't too crazy about it, but has now decided it's less obnoxious than the pots and pans they currently beat on at the house.  

Daddy and his daddy's boy.

Jack going through his stocking.

Big Big helping Marshall open his Toy Story slinky dog.

Travis scratching off our lottery ticket stocking stuffers.  We won a free ticket, which I just know will be a winner.

Uncle Luke spent most of his night taking toys out of boxes and assembling them.

Marshall got a Cozy Coupe shopping cart, but he tried to ride the coupe before the cart was added on.

Jack got a Nintendo DS and LOVED it.

Veazey celebrated up next.