Rewind to December

December started with a BANG! with #Teampurcell sending Gavin off for his first surgery. {It was also, the first "big" event that four adult members of the team, gathered for one of the boys}

Not to be out done, Holden decided shortly thereafter that he too, would enjoy some medical attention. Appendicitis?  Nahh, just full of sh!t.

December saw another year of decorating, and making holiday memories (like the annual event of Artax wearing her ugly Christmas tree sweater)

We survived the black out that literally occured jusssssst after the tree went up, and the gingerbread house was finished.

Sean and I {FINALLY} got a minivan, and depleted Allllll the Christmas  finances, just in time for Santa to feel like a schmuck.

Gav-man turned 12, and has expensive taste for anything-goes-Birthday-Dinner now. Though....I still don't  understand how..... he is still the little tyke that chased me around a park in Goshen and demanded we get ice cream after, and wouldn't let me leave the parking lot ♡ Oh...and a Star Wars thing happened, and they were all excited, and blah blah, #iloveyouiknow and stuff.

We went on our annual drive to see Christmas  lights after dinner for Gavs  birthday, because that's another perk of being born a week before Christmas. And....we all fit in a vehicle :0)

We put out cookies, we listened to music, and Santa even called! Holden deemed it the "Best Christmas Ever!" on that fact alone. 

 We wore short and dressed without tights, because Christmas Eve was in the 70's!

Santa came and even though we wished we could have done more... they were so genuinely happy. Each year I tell myself to scale back, because  we want them to remember WHY Christmas is special, and not for the gifts. And this year, they really taught me...they get it. And they are genuinely  gracious  and thankful kiddos.

 And, we took two family photos, that mean more to me than I could express. Both for very, very different reasons.