Holy smokes how have the holidays come and gone so soon?? It's hard to believe it's been two weeks since Christmas and because it's such a busy time I feel okay back tracking and recapping those special days!
As you may or may not know blogging weekly is a New Years resolution of mine, so hopefully I won't be doing TOO MUCH back tracking in the future!
So where do I start? Christmas week craziness starts on the 22nd for our family. It's my hubby's birthday! As requested we went to J. Alexander's for diner with some friends while my awesome parents came over to order pizza and take care of the boys :)! After dinner we had cake and ice cream back home as a big ole happy family!
Yay for family time, yummy cake, a delicious dinner & some adult conversations!!
Hubs in an almost-Christmas-Eve-babe so the following morning my alarm was set for 7 and I was up and out of the house by 9 to run around like a crazy lady to prepare for the next few days!! My lovely husband volunteered to keep both boys home so I could be a bit more efficient in my errand running- score! I hit Kroger, Dorothy Lane Market, for Christmas dinner and appetizers! Foremost Seafood Market, for our traditional cocktail shrimp & Moore Dessert Please, a cute little bakery for a plate of cookies for St Nick & adorable Elf cookies for my littles!! Long story short, I was home by 12.. I felt like super woman!
This gave me time to unpack all the groceries and unwind for a little while. Finn & I took a nap and then got everyone ready for church! We met my parents and my niece Kennedy for "The First Light" service at our church, it was interesting to say the least with 3 young kiddos!
Christmas Eve dinner has become quite a funny story in my family, and nonetheless a VERY odd tradition. Every year we visit my grandmother at her apartment community and she has their recroom rented, we visit with her and some of her friends, let the kiddos open gifts and eat... KFC, yup nothing says Christmas Eve like Kentucky Fried Chicken. She insists on it each year, and truly won't have it any other way. We all complain amongst ourselves, but put on a happy face and suffer through friend chicken, mashed taters, and Mac n cheese with a smile on! I'm sure some day we will miss those fried chicken dinners! It really makes her year, so it's all worth it!
After a few hours of great grandma visiting, it's time to get home and get ready for Santa!
Every year our Elf, Michelangelo surprises us with new "Christmas Morning PJs" when we get home from Christmas Eve Dinner, so as expected we came home to little packages for the boys and one for mommy and daddy too! After we get our PJs on, we read a Christmas story, and get to bed so Santa "does fly past our house" :) what are some Christmas Eve traditions y'all love??
B & I watched a Christmas Story waiting for the kiddos to fall asleep. Once we were sure our little big man is out cold, santas helpers get to work!
This is brads favorite job every year! 😂
Stockings for everyone :)
New Santa Sacks for the boys!! I ADORE these!!
I swear I'm just a giddy Christmas Eve as little ones are!! We were up until about 1:30 setting everything up for the boys, yes yes I know.. Finn is 2 months old he didn't need a big show.. But TOO BAD, we gave him one! :) When we finally got to bed, my excitement got the best of me and I could hardly sleep! Like I said.. When it comes to Christmas I'm just as bad as the kiddos. Christmas in my house was always so magical, it's definitely stuck with me into adulthood!
Christmas Morning was a little different this year.. Mama had a helper bright & early!! Merry first Christmas little Finn :)
In our house Christmas morning involves, lots of coffee all around and the arrival of my mom, dad & little brother! It doesn't feel like Christmas without them, and I don't think I'll ever give up on this tradition.. Sorry guys!!
We exchanged gifts and watched Cole open gifts and Finn.. sleep haha! We truly are blessed to have such a wonderful family to share all of these special moments with!!
Can't believe my babies first Christmas has come and gone but look at these precious pics I snapped
His little stocking was jammed packed with some fun little toys :)
Cole decided he "didn't want a bunch of pictures this year, mom" so I snuck in a few where I could and left it at that... Pick your battles, Nicole.. Pick your battles.
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We had a quick breakfast & headed out the door (pajamas and all) to my older brothers home to spend time with him and his family for a bit!
Christmas Tree cinnamon roll tray, bacon & egg and sausage bake .. Mmmm so delicious!!
If you haven't noticed, I do the holidays ONE WAY, jam packed and with a "go big or go home" attitude! It's exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I loooove entertaining.. Or as my husband calls it "hosting blow outs parties" lol.. He is a little over the top. He loves me, and my entertaining.. He just won't admit it :)
We had family over that afternoon for Christmas dinner, thank goodness for my mama staying and helping.. I was quickly hitting a brick wall! Let's just say when my grandma arrived at 2.. I was still in pjs! Haha oh well!
Table décor &nMy favorite Chrismtas Cocktail!!
All in all, we had a WONDERFUL holiday filled with chaos, family, fun & memories that will last a lifetime!!!!
Merry Christmas from the Lanich's ❤️❤️
.. We had one more trick up our sleeves for a BIG Christmas Surprise!
Brads mom couldn't be here for Chrismtas this year so we decided to wake at 5AM the day after Christmas and drive to her!! We were on the road by 6 and to her doorstep at about 1030, and boy was she surprised! Finn was such a good little traveler, he slept the entire ride! We had a great time visiting with Gram, Brads brother, Brandon & his daughter, Holly! Our Chrismtas was truly complete!
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season with your families, I know we sure did!!!!!
Xoxo
Simple hooks from target solved the "let's throw our coat and backpack down by the front door" problem we had been having! I also added a boot tray for those wet boots (that thank goodness were not using right now.. No more snow please & thank you!) I added a mirror too, because who doesn't like to look at themselves before they walk out the door! I keep my solly baby wrap and Finns baby bag (always packed and ready) hanging here as well for a quick grab and go out the door! It's nothing crazy, just a simple fix that helps makes morning stress free and keeps mama from loosing her mind! 
These boxes make it easy for coledon to grab and take what he needs to the table! The homework help has everything from pencils and scratch paper to glue and scissors.. Pretty much anything a first grader would need to complete homework! The reading practice has his leveled books and sight word cards for daily reading! I keep his weekly homework calendar and any papers than need completed in the small file holder, which I change out every Monday after school! Some other supplies we have are ... 
Xoxo 
