Christmas - catching up!

We put out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer for the first time this year. Jacob was so excited about putting out the cookies that he wondered aloud Christmas morning, "Where did all the cookies and milk go?"

In past years, we have put the presents under the tree, pretty much as soon as the tree is up and decorated. This year, we decided to make a little change and not put anything under the tree until Christmas Eve after Jacob had 'sugar plums dancing in his head'. This was the reaction Christmas morning when he saw all the presents under the tree....he just didn't know what to think!

Stockings are the first thing to be opened Christmas morning. Santa was very good

to Jacob this year and kept up mostly with a 'Cars' Theme for his gifts, including socks, a new hooded sweatshirt and a cool new pair of 'jamas'.

He also got a new left-handers baseball glove, coloring books, a couple movies including the new Veggie Tales Christmas movie, puzzles, Candy Land, cars galore and a R2D2 playdoh set! We should have fun with that one.

The best reaction to a present was awarded to for the car wash he received. For some time now, Jacob has been stacking up blocks or papers, or whatever he can find, to wash his cars. I mistakenly came across one and snatched it up. He now plays with it every time he gets his cars out. He says they must be clean in order to play....too funny!

Family Christmas was soon over and we moved on to Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa LaCava. Of course as with Grandma and Grandpa Miller, Jacob was a very spoiled little boy. Here he is with Grandpa and Daddy with his new Notre Dame hat (he also got a shirt....a BIG must for our family - can never have too much Notre Dame gear!!!)

I love the tongue here! He got a set of cars from what else...the movie 'Cars' from Uncle Aaron, Aunt Julia and his cousins. This was a big hit!

Another big hit was 'Inchie' the inch worm who came complete with a remote control! Jacob was in heaven and Inchie really is a cute little thing.

His big gift from Grandma and Grandpa LaCava this year was a kitchen. The boy is obsessed with the dishes whenever he goes over to spend time with Grandma and Grandpa LaCava. He will play for hours making food dishes for everyone to taste, so it was only fitting that he got his own kitchen from them. He loves it too. He's always creating new dishes for me now and they are 'yummy'.

As if two Christmases on Christmas wasn't exciting enough, we headed off to spend a third Christmas with the Miller family. This year was a sad year to say the least, not having our Grandpa with us. It is so different to visit and not see him sleeping in his chair or hear him telling stories. We sure miss him a lot! Everyone did manage to crack a smile and Jacob made sure everyone was laughing within minutes. He is a LOT like his Great-Grandpa Miller - always making you laugh when you're feeling down. Here Jacob is being a ham with Uncle Garrett.

Jacob again, made out with a new fire truck and a couple cool books from his Great Uncle Mike and Great Aunt Lynn...

...a cool snowman ornament with his name on it (which he thought was super cool) from Great Uncle Terry and Great Aunt Sandy along with some spending money which bought him his Lightning McQueen pillowcase and pillow and a gift card from Great Uncle Tim and Great Aunt Vicki!

We had a wonderful Christmas with our families and we even tried to

get a nice family picture, but either Jason nor Jacob would cooperate at the same time

So this is the best we could get...

However, Mom LaCava did get a nice one of Jacob and I, which I LOVE!