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Christmas in March...

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...yes this is a very late post :)

I don't know why I can't seem to find the time to write on our blog, except when I'm on break.  This is something I will work on.  So, since I have not kept an update all winter... there will be many posts to come this week.

We had a great Christmas.  We spend the Saturday before Christmas with the Patterson extended family and my grandma.  On Christmas Eve we headed to Eagle Grove for a little bit to have lunch with Grandpa and the rest of the Patterson family (again).  Christmas Eve is my grandpa's birthday, so we always do a birthday/Christmas lunch at the Pizza Ranch.  We then headed home, took a quick nap, changed clothes, and headed to my parents for our Christmas Eve feast.  I say feast because it really is a feast. I look forward to our Christmas Eve meal more than I look forward to Thanksgiving.  Let's just say my mom really does it up good :) (and my dad helps too of course!) 

We all headed to church with full bellies for the Christmas Eve service.  (Another tradition that has become a favorite of mine).  Then we came home and opened gifts with the family.  I love how the "atmosphere" of gift opening has changed over the last several years.  It is much more relaxing and enjoyable.  I love watching our nieces and nephews open their presents.  One thing that stood out to me this year was how grateful the kids were for every gift they got and even more, how excited they were for OTHER people when they opened their gifts.  When ever someone opened a gift, one of them would go over to them and ask what they got or acknowledge that that person would probably really like that gift.  It wasn't even that the kids would like the gift, but they were just so excited for everyone.  I love that. 

Christmas day we went to Iehl's for Christmas lunch and gift opening.  This was another fun day full of family, games and just hanging out.  I love having both of our families so close and having the opportunity to just spend time together and relax.  I hope these traditions continue on through the years!

Spending Christmas with our families was wonderful and what was even more great was getting to go home together at the end of the night :)

Below are a few pictures from Christmas.  I don't know why we never seem to get any group pictures at the Iehl's.  This is something I will work on for next year.

Our first Christmas married :)

The Patterson Fam.

The boys in their new Hawkeye uniforms. 
They were really excited about this gift from my parents!
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