Christmas With The Russell's

Merry Christmas!

Gah!! We have been so busy lately, as I'm sure everyone has been.... Christmas crazies!

The Sunday before Christmas we dressed her up in a darling poofy dress my parents bought her.

Then on Monday, December 23rd, I raced around to go surprise my friend Maegan at work (her birthday was the day before) and seeing as it's super close to Christmas, it gets overlooked a lot, so I really wanted to make it a fun special year for her. With Noodles & Co. on the go, birthday gift in the back, and Livi stuffed in amid the insanity, I sped downtown for a quick lunch with her.

After, I drove over to the Post Office to get miss Olive's passport submitted for our upcoming cruise! Which, ps, was bumped up from March to February, over Valentine's Day, woooo!!

They require soooo much for the passport, blah! And a new fun fact: you don't just get a free copy of your baby's birth certificate anymore. Nope. You get to pay $18 at a state office that is suuuuuper out of the way and annoying and wait 20 minutes for it. No joke. Super retarded.

Once that was all sorted out I went home for about 2 seconds, then left again with Micah for a new tradition: Elsholz Family Bowling.

Livi wasn't really feeling up to it, poor kiddo. It's tough being a tired baby in a bowling alley.

We stayed and bowled one game, all the while baby O was just done, so tired. Although, an amazingly magical occasion happened: I BEAT MICAH!!!!!!  No joke, the stars aligned and huzzah I beat him!! He holds the title among the Russell clan as the best bowler (not that he practices more than the annual Russell Turkey Bowl) so for me to beat him was kinda amaze-balls. Just kinda.  ;)

I got several strikes ... which I never do!

PROOF!

We bounced after the one game and headed back downtown to go see Temple Square, more accurately the lights. It was pretty warm, weirdly enough. I mean still like 30 degrees, but normally at 9:00pm it's like 12 degrees. Liv was bundled up super warm and cozy with a ridiculous snow suit thing that I want for myself.

Then Christmas Eve was slightly more contained but just about as hectic. That morning we had to drop off Duke, my sister's dog, at the kennel (they are out of town for 2 weeks so we took care of Dukie for the first 1/2 of their trip). 

these 2 lovers were just kissing goodbye!

I was of course running late so Micah had to drop him off, then ended up secret shopping afterwards. Meanwhile I was getting ready for the day while Livi slept. Around 1:00pm I started getting ridiculously hungry (I hadn't eaten breakfast!) so I met up with Micah at IHOP for a terribly unhealthy meal. ;)  I then left Liveraci with Micah so I could go Santa shopping without a little wiggly babe.

Then we raced over to Lynn & Dianne's house for dinner & the Christmas story portrayal/reenactment.  When I was dating Micah I participated in this same little skit with all of the nieces & nephews and loved it. It is a Russell tradition that goes back to when Micah was a little kiddo.

Liv getting some cousin & Auntie love.

Mary was very bored..

Lots of fun Christmas songs were included in their Christmas story.

Around 8:00pm we headed to my parent's house for their tradition of watching a Christmassy video and opening one gift.

While we waited for people to get there & then eat dinner, Micah and I watched Wreck It Ralph and I loved it! We never saw it in theaters and always wanted to... I loved the clever idea behind the games being all linked together and the hilarious voice cast. Love John C. Reilly!! Step Brothers was kiiiinda my favorite movie for a little bit... and I can't watch it without dying laughing still. Best movie ever! Ok maybe it's still a top fave of mine.  ;)

Matty wearing his wrappings.

After opening one gift with everyone and watching a Christmassy video, Mark & I played Cara & Matt in ping pong. Oh man, I used to be pretty decent but holy crap I kinda sucked! Mark & Matt are both really good. I get a little crazy-armed and kinda swing wild sometimes... but Mark and I surprisingly enough beat Matt & Cara the first 2 games (going to 21) then totally sucked haha and lost the next 3 (we were playing best out of 5).

Micah and Johnny were getting cozy on the couch while we smashed it out.

At freakin 1:45am I dragged Micah off the couch & we went home... I still had things to wrap! Lame!

On my way out I noticed my parents had literally taped off "Santa's Workshop" .

So we were up tip almost 3am, gah! And because I'm such a child, I couldn't sleep in past 7am hahaha! We might have woken Livi up to open gifts.... Don't judge! I love Christmas.  :)

My stocking from Santa Micah is on the right... he knows me too well to include something googly-eyed and childish.  ;)

On Christmas Day, Micah, Olive, Zoey, & I opened gifts together at our house before heading to my parent's again for their Christmas gift exchange.  We were all spoiled this year!

Zoey got a new toy because she keeps gutting all of her others... little stinker.  ;)

Livi got some jammies, new outfits, & a few toys, including a cell phone! haha it is pretty neat... totally lights up & responds to touch & you can program your number into it so your babe can start to memorize it in case of an emergency. She is standing (supporting herself completely) playing with a toy Lynn & Dianne gave her. 

I got a new iPhone C (coral pink & not shown since i'm snapping the pic with it) with a yellow case, an iPad Air, and a Nikon camera (it's super cool, like a mini SLR with removable lenses but still digital camera-y). I also got some useful things like a new hot glue gun & some organizing bins for my craft room (which, ps, my craft room looks amaaaaaaazing now!)

Micah was my first inspirational object to photograph with my new camera.  ;P

Then Zoey.

I love the focus of a non-phone camera. The depth of field is soooo much better & more specifically focused. I'm in love!!

Micah got a Gladiator garage organizer, a year's worth of car washes (his weird request haha ), some clothes, garage lights, tools...  (I didn't take any pics because they are boring guy things)

Then when we left to go to my parent's house I surprised him by swinging by Maegan & Austin's house to show him his new snow blower!! I couldn't hide it at our house so when Austin came with me to check it out I just left it with him.  ;)  Micah was way surprised, totally loved it!

Once at my parent's house, we started tearing into all of the fun gifts.

Olive & I have matching onesie jammies, hahaha!

getting some uncle johnny time in.

Matty is trying out a new "gramophone" he got from Johnny. Pretty sweet little retro idea from restoration hardware where you put your phone into the base & it projects the sound from the bell-horn thing. Love it!

Johnny got an unexpected gift.... tickets to the Seahawks game in Seattle on his birthday!!!! Complete with airline & hotel tickets! Go Seahawks!!

My parents gave me red Hunter boots!!!! SOOOOO excited! And also 2 Hunter bootie socks, cream and navy. Ah so so so happy!! They also gave me a Pandora bead (a cruise ship for our many cruises we've done & our upcoming fun) and other fun gifts. Micah's big gifts were all garage related, I swear... I just don't understand the joy that a tool or cable or jack stand brings to men, but holy balls, Micah was sooo happy with his gifts! Livi got a few outfits, some fun flashy toys, & an adorable little swim suit for our cruise!! I'm in love, I kinda want one for myself! :P

i love my wellies!!

The cutest swim suit known to man... I'm dying! Loooooooove it!

After the craziness died down, we ate breakfast (yes at like 2pm we were just barely eating for the first time that day... holidays are hard!) then hung out and took a mini power nap, watched Man of Steel, & played with our new toys.

Once Liv woke up from her nap we headed home... but not before I grabbed this amazing picture, hahaha!! Think I startled her?  ;)

Once we were home, Micah and I had some dinner, popped some popcorn, turned on Four Christmases, and cuddled up on our couch, just the two of us... and Zoey. She missed us.  :)

I hope your Christmas was just as jam packed and full of love and memories as mine was.

xoxo Mandi