Jared and I stopped giving Christmas gifts quite a while ago – typically because if we see something we want – we get it. Obviously – within reason.

We don’t really live life that way anymore – but we still don’t give gifts to each other.

BUT – Fitzy and Enoch shopped for us and for each other – so we were REALLY looking forward to opening those gifts!

That little handwriting – the excitement he could BARELY contain!

We LOVE our puzzles!!

Fitzy got Enoch a fence for his animals – his many many animals!

Enoch got Fitzy marbles and a car! And Enoch was SO surprised – he thought the things he picked out were for HIM!

We did get Jared a little gift – STAR WARS FOR LIFE!!

Fitzy picked out this sweatshirt for me! He said – MOM! It’s so ugly – I KNEW you would love it!

And the leggings – they were ONLY FOUR DOLLARS MOM!!

He asked if I would wear that sweatshirt EVERY CHRISTMAS! Yes sweet thing. Always.

Enoch got Jared a book of 5-minute STAR WARS stories!

And he got me a STAR WARS activity book and a mosaic sticker book!

Fitzy got a set of knives and his VERY OWN CUTTING BOARD!

We’ve played that game SO MUCH already!

Puzzles and games. Crayons and notebooks. Undies and matching shirts. And a lego set for Fitzy – one I’ve been holding onto for FOUR years!

I love that they didn’t need LOTS of presents under the tree. And almost everything I got them – I had bought on clearance throughout the year!! WIN WIN WIN!

Fitzy was VERY VERY excited about this lego set – he’s seen it in the closet for SO LONG! And he wasn’t expecting it because he isn’t 9 yet! And you should be 9 to build then on your own!

He worked most of Christmas day and the day after – with only a tiny bit of help from us!

I really really do not enjoy winter – but Christmas – I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas with the ones you love – snuggled up nice and warm doing ALL THE THINGS you love!

My mom has had this nativity for as long as I can remember – and she let us borrow it for our Christmas Eve service!

Our Christmas Eve service had cookies and hot chocolate and some cookies and fireworks and bonfires and cookies – did I mention the cookies!?

That guy – he wants to be a hunter like his Pa!

My bestest – she’s the bestest!

Those boys love their Mara!!

That gorgeous little guy – he’s super sweet!

That special bond between a grandmother and her little guy!

I love witnessing the world through a child’s eyes! Everything becomes so MAGICAL!

Enoch really didn’t LOVE the fireworks – he ended up inside – away from the BOOMS!

I hope your Christmas was spent with the ones you love – we LOVE our church family!

We always spend Christmas Eve day with Jared’s parents – making breakfast and opening gifts.

Eating pizza for dinner – but this year it was Subway since my gallbladder decided to give up on me AND Enoch is dairy-free and prefers Subway!!

I would love to tell you how delicious that french toast was – but I made it with coconut milk so Enoch could eat it – and coconut milk (while good for you) is very very fatty – so I avoided the yummy french toast!

THAT GUY! I cannot believe how big he is!

Enoch took that photo – it’s so perfect!

He also took that one – a BEAUTIFUL shot!

We’ve taken a family photo every year since Fitzy’s first Christmas!

LOOK AT THE CHANGES THROUGH THE YEARS!!

Fitzy was VERY VERY surprised to get this game – a game he was asking to get NEXT Christmas!

Mom-mom was NOT surprised to get this ornament! She had opened it earlier in the month – when it was incorrectly delivered to HER front door! I had texted her to let her know there were a couple of packages on the porch for her – candles from her order for Fitzy’s school. Little did I know – the mailman had accidentally dropped off our packages at their door! So – she opened it! But I still wrapped it up and gave it to her Christmas morning!

For our first Christmas as a married couple – I got Jared some undershirts. He opened the package and said – OH – these are NOT the ones my mom gets me.

And I’ve never gotten him any again. So – his mom got some THIS year for Christmas!

Those pictures – while I was editing them – I stopped and took notice.

That sweet face. That big guy. He made my momma heart soar the moment I saw him – the moment I knew he was in our lives!

He continues to make my momma heart soar! He has such a tender and kind heart!

They went to church in their jammies!

I LOVE THOSE SHOTS!! MY SWEETEST BOYS!

My sweet family and my sweet Missy!

I’ll post about our Christmas Eve service at church – but I had to take a quick shot of Jared and his boys before bedtime!

We had such a BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS EVE!! How was yours?!

I ADORE THOSE SHOTS!

Matching Christmas pajamas – THE BEST!

If you don’t know what to do next year for Christmas photos – DO THIS!

Snuggle up in your jammies – read a book – write a letter to Santa AND eat Christmas cookies! AND LET ME COME PHOTOGRAPH YOU!

Viky – thank you so much! I love seeing your family year after year!!

Every year – Viky and her family have their Christmas portraits done!

I’ve been taking his pictures since his FIRST CHRISTMAS!

I LOVE that shot on the right! Hanging the stockings!!

THOSE MOMENTS – they are my favorite!

That’s only HALF of them – stay tuned for the rest of their session!

Victoria took advantage of my mystery sale LAST year and got a free mini-session!

I hope to see you next year – I LOVE photographing your family!

My dad and my brother – they have a special bond too! And if you look at my dad’s pictures from high school – you’d think it was my brother!

I’m so thankful for the time our kids get to spend together – even if it’s only once or twice a year!

That shot MIGHT be my favorite shot of the five of them together! You can’t even see Fitzy’s face – but you can still tell that he’s smiling!

That smile on little *J*’s face – AHH! And *R* – she LOVES her cousins! You can just SEE IT!

G – she’s the ABSOLUTE BEST!

I got my brother and sister-in-law a big print of this photo for Christmas!

*J* needed his THREE year pictures – THREE!!

My sister – she’s been trying to get that Enoch-guy to love her for his WHOLE LIFE! Sometimes he does!

G and her little *J* – AND BLACK & WHITE! THE BEST!

*J* LOVES calling the cows in! AND he loves his G!!

We went to the Iron Kettle Pumpkin Farm while my sister was home!

When we were little – we made the trip every year with our cousins!

Those guys – they’re ADORABLE!!

You might notice that Fitzy didn’t come with us – he would rather stay home with his G!

We were told that the donuts did NOT have milk in them – but later – we found out they did – super sad.

Thankfully – Enoch’s allergy is not life-threatening – gives him a tummy-ache for a few days – BUT – lesson learned – ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check the label and sometimes even then – it might not be right!

Just in case you think that every outing is sunshine and rainbows – it’s really not! This one is a runner!

THAT CRAZY FACE!

That little guy and that GIANT cookie!

Sometimes – I get really sad that our guys can’t grow up together – BUT – these moments – they make me happy!

You’ve read about my Aunt Lori before – or at least – you should have by now!

She’s an integral part of our lives – and her husband Bob – he’s quite the guy! His birthday happens to fall on the 4th of July – so we usually have a picnic to celebrate him!

And that sweet Aunt Lori – she remembers this Enoch guy and his dairy allergy!

Have you heard of this “new” thing – painting rocks and hiding them around your county?

He cannot eat his cake without it swimming in milk!

That tire swing belonged to my great-grandma Foulkrod! I LOVE heirlooms!

I LOVE curls too! And those big brown eyes!

And that crazy little face!

HOW ABOUT THAT AMAZING CAKE!!

I’ve been taking pictures for Vicky and her family for about 6 years! This is the first time I’ve met her husband’s side of the family!

The party was a bit of a surprise – an ANNIVERSARY surprise for this wonderful couple!

I love seeing the brand new babies with the great-grandmothers!

A few weeks ago – my MIL introduced me to this wonderful woman in the pictures – and she said – OH YES! We’ve met! She took pictures for our family and they were BEAUTIFUL! (I’ve heard my in-laws talk fondly about this couple over the years – but never made the connection of who they were!)

Vicky – I’ll see you again after Thanksgiving! THANK YOU SO MUCH for asking me to spend the afternoon with your family!