Every year we pack up the presents, the highchair, the lovies and sound machine and a whole lotta Christmas jammies and head north to Jeremy’s hometown of Chattanooga. It’s very different feeling than here. It’s a different feeling to me than my family growing up…which was loud and chaotic and big personalities and even bigger meals. It’s slower and gentler somehow. I don’t know if it’s because of the people that are present…or the place…or just because we aren’t home with a looming to-do list over our heads. If presents aren’t wrapped for someone back home…there isn’t anything we can do about it. If our guest bathroom is dirty…nobody except us knows. If the dishes are dirty in the sink…that’s where they will lay until the dish-fairy gets them done or we return home. We have what we have and we block out everything else. A few days until Santa is slated to arrive, we head up (usually late because I have forgotten to pack the Children’s Tylenol or to bring the crucial-must-have-Christmas-shirt) and we visit with both sets of in-laws…eat and sleep and visit and catch up. It’s a change of pace…one that I am so thankful for because the holidays are so crazy.
This year we did Christmas with Jeremy’s mom and grandma first. His mom got a skinny tall tree this year and I am kinda obsessed with getting a couple next year like that for the dining room. I don’t know why but I am a huge fan of trees everywhere. I need to live in the forest in the winter months. An evergreen forest in a warmish climate…because ya know…I am a fan of climate control.
This was Weston’s first real Christmas. Well….last year technically was his first…but he was only a month old and was barely opening his eyes and he probably thought the fat guy who brought the good stuff was me. This year he thought that the tree was just a place that held the balls for throwing…and that the whole thing was confusing…one minute we are telling him not to touch the presents, the next we are expecting him to tear into them with no abandon.
He prompted him to tear some paper…but it really wasn’t the interesting thing…
That title belonged to the bows. OH THE BOWS.
This Christmas we all pitched in and got Jer’s mom an iPad mini. I think she was a little surprised but it’s sortof like a half present to ourselves because now it means that she can see the boys more regularly via FaceTime.
And Jer’s grandma still has the best reactions to any presents she gets. I swear you could buy her a pack of tube-socks and she would act like she just won a million dollars.
Next year this picture will have THREE boys! Ahhh!
The next day we did Christmas at Jer’s dad (I call him Pastor Dad) and Vicki’s house. That morning we all went to church so that is why we are looking so fly…or at least one of us are…
Weston was mad that he no longer had his close-up. Such a diva.
After lunch and all the sitting & burping that follows, we sat down to open even more cars and trucks….I mean…presents…
This was the general reaction. If it has wheels…we now own it. Oh and Will got his first Nurf gun. My lampshades are toast.
Far and above the biggest surprise was that Jeremy brought my big Christmas present with him to Chattanooga. I was completely surprised and thankful. I think I may have said Holy Nutcracker in front of everyone. I am the type that would rather print out photos and handwrite each blog post and walk them to the mailman to be hand delivered each day because technology is always changing and is sometimes really hard for me to keep up with. Jeremy is the best kind of cheerleader of me as ‘a blogger’ because he really wants me to try to produce the best kind of content and work as efficiently as possible…so that I can do more with my time (as a chronic-do-er-all-the-time-r, working hard all the time is like music to my ears) so for the past couple years we discussed converting over to Macs (mostly for the photography aspect) but I told him over and over that I was afraid of the learning curve and picking out a computer that would fit my needs. He consulted with a few Machead friends before picking this refurbished bad boy out and now I am in the process of setting it all up for future use! I know. He’s the best.
The rest of the time was filled with cheer of the Christmas variety.
The annual gingerbread house with Grammy…
Our last day was really brief…we did a little shopping (I bought a couple coat hook racks for our ‘mud room’ area) and the boys had a grand time with all their new remote control toys. I think that we are gonna be putting away three of the four remote controlled vehicles for when the other one inevitably breaks.
But seriously…just look at this face when he is racing these cars….
Santa really delivered this year 🙂
He especially came through when it came to giving me some cuties to photograph 🙂
Speaking of which…Marky Mark really needs a tune-up…do yall recommend sending him in to Canon or do you know of anyone that is trustworthy and fast to make repairs to a Mark II?
On Christmas Eve we said our goodbyes and headed for home, but not without a lot of big hugs and kisses….hopefully the next time we see these folks I will be bursting at the seams or have a newborn in my arms!
Wanna see old days of yore with the inlaws? Here is last year’s Christmas 2012 and Christmas 2011 in Chattanooga…my how they grow. my how old I sound.
It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas! I think You can’t go wrong with sending your camera to Canon… they are fast, have great customer service (including on the phone), and will take the best care of your camera. Personally I’m lazy about having to package things up, but for a tune-up to my own camera (Markiii) I’d just deal with it and send it to Canon no question. I’ve sent in lenses before and was very happy with the experience.
I work for canon and I would suggest sending it to them for repair. That way you don’t mess with your warranty and if you do get a replacement part it will be genuine canon as opposed to possibly getting a cheap one from a 3rd party. Have you looked into this before: http://www.cps.usa.canon.com/about_cps/about.shtml
I would at least do the free level…I mean it’s free after all:)
Peachtree Camera Repair off of Marietta Parkway, here in Atlanta (well, Marietta). Highly recommend them.
http://www.peachtreecamerarepair.com/
Peachtree Camera in Marietta!
Looks like you had a great Christmas! That tall skinny tree is so pretty! I love that idea! And congrats on the new computer. That’s exciting! What did you get Jeremy?
I’m planning on posting about our Christmas here at the house tomorrow. It’s gonna have all the details on what we bought each other 🙂
xo – kb
Send it to canon, you won’t be disappointed , they are very quick…most places just send it out anyway
Why yes however did you know that I would love to stalk all your past christmas post!! Perfect since I’m having major withdrawals from taking my tree down..
I. Can’t. Let. Christmas. Go! 🙂
Thankkk you very much! I’ll be the one in your blog archives for the next hour 😉
xoxo!
…also I feel like I should mention that I’m currently making not one, but TWO of your St. Nick (grid it out all smart like) pictures and I’m SOOOO in love with him!! I mean I’ve always loved Santa but this just took us to a whole new level.
Seriously, I can’t let Christmas go.
Hi Bowers! I have been a fan of your blog for a couple years now and I know this is crazy but is Grammy Bowers a nurse practitioner for NICU babies? If so, I think she took care of both my son Silas and most recently my daughter Sadie. She just looks so familiar in your Christmas pictures. Looks like y’all had a great Christmas in our lovely town! Warm wishes from Chattanooga! 🙂
Yup! That’s her! She is a big baby lover 🙂
xo – kb
I’ve been a “machead” my whole life and find them immensely easier to use than PC! I have to use a PC at work and am not a fan at all, so best wishes to you on your transition! 🙂
We got an iPad for my MIL last year and she loves being connected to our photo stream on it! They live 4 hours away, but she still feels like she gets to watch him growing up since we post photos up fairly regularly.
Warm wishes from frigid MN to you all!
She was so sweet to us! Small world! 🙂
I love your choice of names — Silas and Sadie. 🙂 So cute!
Beautiful Christmas photos! And yay for a Mac! you’ll love it, I converted 4 years ago and will never go back, they are the best!!
Will is amazing. What an outstanding kid.
(whispering) but oh.my.god.
Weston.
Can’t get enough.
You guys make great little people.
I swear, once you go Mac, you’ll never go back!!!! BEST. INVESTMENT. EVER. Now say goodbye to CTL-ALT-DEL and hello to so much more!!!!!!!
I was lucky enough to get a slightly used MacBook Pro too (mostly for photos). I would recommend canon too. I have nothing but good things to say about them!
Sounds like a wonderful Christmas! The boys are just so cute in all of their Christmas gear! I agree with you on the trees, I feel I need a lot to call it the winter/Christmas season! I have 3 and I just bought 2 more at Target! 🙂
Again, we loved having you guys at church that day. Love those sweet in-laws of yours! 🙂
Give your man a high five on that mac book. I’ve had my eye on one for a while and would love to convert over sometime soon, too!
It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas!
So now that you have all of these lovely toys on wheels, how do you plan to store them?? I also have two boys (about the same ages are yours), and I can’t find a good system. 🙂 Let me know if you do, please!
put away the race car with the wheel on top…ours already broke 😉
Unfortuantely, I had to find a camera shop last month because my camera was in need of repair. I found a GREAT repair shop in Smyrna called Camera Specialists. It was a little bit of a drive but they did an awesome job of fixing my camera – in a hurry – for a very reasonable price. I would recommend them highly. Good Luck.
we have those go-go smart wheels cars for our 15mo. The track is worthless at this point b/c its just something else to throw – but those cars entertain him FOREVER. I said I would be against toys that light up and make noise, I’ve just added it to the list of things people without kids say.
creepy note/ or maybe its fate: we did manage to get 2 vehicles one with my husbands name and the other with mine.
Merry (belated) Christmas!
Will’s face in that photo with Jeremy’s dad! He’s like, “Weston, seriously?? Cut it OUT. This is family photo time.”
Oh Katie, I definitely laughed out loud at your comment “he probably thought the fat guy who brought the good stuff was me”…lol, you’re so hilarious. Congrats on your Mac! I’m borrowing my mom’s Mac right now, it’s like a whole other world with lots of frustrations on my part, but I know they’re amazing once you get the hang of it. 🙂
This is random I know- but I thought I remembered you saying that Weston’s name had a biblical reference and was just curious if you would share what that is? I have my own Weston at home, 6 months! Haven’t commented before, congrats on another boy and I really like your blog, it’s just…fun. 🙂
The fashion! You should blog all those adorable boy outfits – love them!
Hi Katie. Long time reader, first time poster. I cannot get over how much Weston looks like Jeremy’s father. Like a mini me. Adorbs. So glad you had a lovely Xmas. Wishing your family the best in 2014.
Great post! I love the picture of Weston crying and being a “diva”! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of that boy without a smile on his face!
Would love to know where the skinny trees came from! Totally adorable!
Happy New Year!
whoa! i am so surprised! i had NO idea you had been blogging this entire time on a PC! i thought EVERY blogger in blogland used a Mac- and even MORE so, i thought there was no possible way to tackle photoshop or photography skills on a pc! #showswhatiknow #notatechnerd
Congrats on being a new Mac owner! You’re going to LOVE IT!!!! WAHOO!!
Chattanooga is a fun place, if you haven’t been to Rock City Lockout Mtn or the aquarium, you should check it out sometime.
Once you go Mac, you never go back! 🙂
Alli – I’m in frigid MN, too! Had the day off of work yesterday and now am bundled it up in two socks and two pants for the ride home from work today (I bus into Downtown, Minneapolis). brrrr!
Merry Christmas Katie! I love that you post about Christmas into January. We still have all of our decorations up because we celebrate “Three Wise Men’s Day” on January 5-6. Super random thing I noticed (in my looking around at old Christmas posts to fill in the time before this year’s posts went up). There is a Christmas pic, I think right before you were pregnant with Weston, where everyone is wearing fake mustaches that you made! Definitely made me laugh at the little things God does to make us laugh =D
What a fabulous Holiday you had! I love your Holiday posts and that skinny tree is so pretty! Loving Wills hair cut. Such a big boy!!! He needs to STOP growing!!!!
I agree with sending Mark out to Canon. Im kind of a ‘name brand’ person just when it comes to my camera gear. Id rather send it to Canon, and know Ill be taken care of. I actually got Mark 2 two years ago at your ‘recommendation’. Just envision me whining “buuutt Katie Bower has one!!!!”. And this year, my husband gave me the ultimate surprise…Mark 3!!!!! Lots of tears of gratefulness. My ‘boys’ only get sent to Canon 🙂
XOXO
Lynn
Isn’t that ironic! I thought the same thing! And the funny thing is…I did not give Weston that mustache paci…it was a gift…after he was three months old and refused all other pacis. It is hilarious to me that that is the one he chose.
xo – kb
Aww thanks Dana! It was so nice to meet you!
xo – kb
It actually is something we got from Psalm 103:12…Weston means “one from the west”.
xo – kb
We have been to both! Aren’t they awesome! I would love to go back when the boys are a little older.
xo – kb
Couldn’t agree more…my little guys are outstanding and I can’t get enough of either of them 🙂
xo – kb
That’s too funny. I remember Sherry got from someone at her book signing or somewhere like that. Gotta love those mustaches. He is one fashionable little man =)
Yes that’s right! She brought it to us when she came and visited in February last year (so that made Weston almost three months old) and we were laughing so hard when he LOVED it.
xo – kb
Yep. We had one and it lasted one day. Boys. 🙂
It looks like you had a wonderful Christmas! Don’t worry – Macs are easier to get used to than you think (I just got my desktop computer last year) and any “Windows command” you need to do on the mac, just google! 🙂
We have a big basket that we got from Target that we throw all the cars and trucks into 🙂
xo – kb
I work in the NICU with Vicky! Crazy small world.