Christmas with Grandad and Grandnee

For the past two years, our family has been doing a Christmas brunch with Grandad and Grandnee, instead of dinner. Breakfast is so delicious and you can't mess it up.  Last year, we went to their home. This year, I hosted Christmas brunch. BOTH years, I have made a creme brulee french toast casserole as well as an egg casserole. BOTH are scrumptious.  Grandnee provides fresh fruit, bacon, and orange juice.   

The kids were smiling from ear to ear from all the generous gifts that they received from their grandparents, but truly, they just love to be in their presence.  They cherish the time they can "beat up grandad" and laugh with grandnee.  I think it's evident in the photos below.  :)

Grandad and Grandnee, thank you so much for all of the amazing gifts.  Hopefully, once the weather warms up, the kids will begin enjoying their plasma cars.  Ty will have a blast with his personalized Hokie cornhole.  Jax is learning the ropes of his putter pool table and Lilah will think of you as she walks her "babies" in her new pottery barn double stroller.  I have to say, the kids are really enjoying the other gifts you picked out. Maybe next year, I'll leave it all up to you :)

Plasma cars... one for each kid!

Hugs of gratitude.

Now... back to opening MORE!

Jax LOVES his grandad.

Wrestle time!

Hiding and running from mommy's camera.

Not sure why, but this was a game of, "SMELL MY FEET", LOL!  OH the things you do for your kids and GRANDKIDS.

Snuggles and hugs!

"On top of OLD grandad!"

It was a special day with the Bollings. The weather was beautiful. The kids were able to play inside and outside with their grandparents.

Plain and SIMPLE.

This boy is ALL CRISAFI.

IF you don't know what that is... SHAME ON YOU! You obviously don't know me real well.

A Life Size HUG!

Before sending my mom her Mother's Day package, I decided to have Lilah and Jax (Tyson was at school) create a life size hug for her. I'm pretty sure the last time my mom saw the twins was when they were 16 months old. So we decided, if we can't give her a real hug, we will send her a hug. I kinda got the idea from the book called, "The Giant Hug" by Sandra Horning. It's a very cute book. If you've never read it to your child, rent it at the local library, I know he/she will love it.

Above all the gifts we sent to "Gram", she said, "The best gift was the giant hug." So sweet!!! We hope for her to visit soon so the hugs don't have to be sent through the mail :(

Here are the step by step directions...

Trace the your child's body onto paper.

When you are done tracing your paper is ready to be decorated.

Allow each child to color their own person just the way they see themselves.

"Lilah" - - Sporting two pink bracelets and big hair!

"Jax" - - - Love his spikey do and his tongue sticking out.

Fold the cut out of the body up and ship off through the mail! As your recipient slowly opens the arms up, they will realize that they just received a big hug. Don't laugh at our outcome. We are NOT a family of artists.

Grandma's Gems!

Last Thursday, when Granee joined us for a "pop in playtime" at Pump it up, she brought Lilah a special surprise. Granee cleaned out her jewelry box, gathered all the small earrings that would fit Lilah's ears, and passed them down to her. Lilah may be a little too young to grasp the beautiful gift that this is, but I am not. There's nothing more special, to me, than receiving a gift that was once a grandparent's.

Granee, we will cherish these beautiful earrings. Every time Lilah wears a pair of these special earrings, she will be reminded of YOU!

We placed them in Lilah's jewelry box that she received for Christmas last year.

Lilah wore one of the pairs of Granee's earrings, today, to Church.

History Repeats Itself

This weekend, while my stepmom was in New York, she visited with my grandma. It's been years since I've laid eyes on her. It breaks my heart. She was always someone who I loved dearly. Anyway, "grammy" as I like to call her, shared some pictures with Carlene and I was DUMBFOUNDED when Carlene shared ONE, in particular, with me via cell phone.

Take a peak... Photo A

Now, take a peak at these two... Photo B & C

Photo A is a picture of my father when he was Jaxon's age. Photo B and C are obviously photos of Jax. How strikingly similar are they???? When I originally received the photo from Carlene, individually, I shared it with each kid and I asked, "Hey Ty, Hey Lilah, Hey Jax, who is this?" Each child answered, "Jaxey". EVEN JAX thought it was himself. LOL!

Our twins may be twins, but Jaxon resembles the Crisafi side of the family (my maiden name) and Lilah resembles the Bryant side of the family (Darren's mother's maiden name). Now I want a photo of Renee at Lilah's age to see if there is just as big of a resemblance. Obviously, my father's genes are insanely STRONG!