Skip to main content

Christmas 2011

It is safe to say that this Christmas was a little different than normal... we had a new baby, I was recovering from a C-section, BJ was in transition to a new job and family came to us. Although it was a quieter holiday, we were truly blessed with a lot of family time and that was the best gift ever. We did manage to take Eleanor on a small Christmas outing to Bass Pro Shops... they had a Santa and a carousel that we knew she would love. Honestly, besides going to see Santa at the Galleria with Lucy this was the only Christmas activity we did. WAH-WAH.
 
Uncle Benny and Auntie Kristen traveled to Washington for Christmas, so they came over a few days before to give Eleanor and Tripp their gifts.... opening this gift was just a small preview of the FUN we knew Eleanor would have this year! 
 
I mean, she got the Popper... didn't we all have one of these when we were younger?!
On Christmas Eve, Pamie came to celebrate with us and showered Eleanor and Tripp with WAY too many goodies... Eleanor was in heaven. She was obsessed with her new boots, horse, tent, toys... I mean really, Pamie always overdoes it!
 
Christmas Morning... snuggle bug looks so sweet, but let's be honest... Christmas was ROUGH on the Rector clan. WE ALL got sick... Eleanor gave a cold to Daddy, who gave it to Tripp, who gave it to me.. needless to say, we went through about 4 boxes of Kleenex in just a few days. Not the best way to spend Tripp's first Christmas (and his one month birthday!) but we managed.
 
When Eleanor woke up, she came into our living room and was on complete sensory overload. The grandparents WAY OVERDID spoiling our babies this year... you can tell from this picture, but Eleanor got a bike, a horse and a wagon.... and that doesn't even dip into the amount of presents she opened (or Momma actually opened because she was too busy riding her horse, Lucky!).
 
"This is really for me, PawPaw??!!"
 
Outfit change and toy change.... every year we open pajamas on Christmas Eve, but Eleanor was asleep when we did so we had her open and change into them on Christmas day...
 
Eleanor wrapped in the new blanket her Nanna made for her...
 
.... AND, back to Lucky!
 
Our little Cowgirl.
 
Then, Eleanor discovered that she and Tripp got a wagon... and she was ready for a ride immediately.
 
Eleanor also got her first baby doll... on Christmas day, she named the baby "Katie".... but shortly after she renamed the baby "Tripp"... go figure.
 
Family picture... this is the best one!
 
And this is what the majority of them look like... imagine 6 other family members behind the camera singing "Happy Birthday" or the "1-2-3...." song.
 
The Rector Family
 
The Gross Family
 
Oops... we forgot Aunt Katie, but my kids were OVER pictures by this point.
 
We literally stayed in our pajamas ALL day... after gifts, we had a yummy brunch with some kind of breakfast casserole, quiche and the Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Rolls. YUM. We had a late lunch / early dinner with Lasagna... seriously, I loved everything I put in my mouth on Christmas day. 
 
Tripper boy and Momma snuggling... probably watching the Cowboys getting beat, boo.
 
Grandpa and his twin, Tripp.
 
Eleanor was just a mess all day... I am pretty sure that next to her birthday, this Christmas was one of her favorite days of her life so far. It really wasn't just about the gifts, either... girlfriend LOVES her family and had a ball with her grandparents.
Is it bad that we are already looking forward to next Christmas??? I feel like I missed it.. the "Red" cups at Starbucks, Christmas lights, the crazy shopping malls.... I can't wait for it next year... and to see how much fun Eleanor and Tripp with have again!!
Labels:

Comments

Mindy Rives said…
Time for an update mama....a lot has happened since Christmas.
February 24, 2012 at 2:01 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jackson Hole Rector Family Favorites

We love to travel - honestly, can never get enough of it and hope to see so much of this big ole' world in this lifetime. Because we are not professional travelers (but like, can I sign up for that?) we have limited time and resources just like most people do. I LOVE to explore new places - cities, countries, cultures and we need to get to it if we want to even scratch the surface of globe trotting. There are, however, a few places that continue to call us back over and over again.... one, Hawaii: another post for another time, but we have been so fortunate to go almost annually with BJ's parents since I met and married him. What a gift we will never take for granted! We have so many fun memories, moments and suggestions for Maui and Kauai, but that I'll save that for another day. two, Jackson Hole: our very favorite summer destination. I cannot imagine growing tired of the Grand Tetons and this little spot of the country is our dose of heaven on earth. We've traveled a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

THE OVER-SHARER SHARES AGAIN   For the very small handful of people who have asked, I’m answering to the masses (err, bigger handful). On February 1, I decided to take a social media fast. Our church was challenging us to a 21-day fast and I chose to fast not from food but from something else I had been looking to for satisfaction, delight or distraction. Here we are at the beginning of summer, and with the exception of popping on to facebook to check in with my business partners, I have found great freedom stepping away from social media (right now). Currently, I don’t have a plan to return, but I also know that I should never say never…. …Watch me pop right back in and eat crow in mere moments if I was to say I would be off of it forever. Honestly, social media has been a beautiful thing for me personally, and professionally, for well over a decade. It has allowed me to authentically and organically share my passions, ask my questions, get and give referrals, build and reconn...
Post a Comment
Read more

12 years later.

Tonight, 12 years ago, I enrolled as a Rodan + Fields consultant. I’ve shared so many times about my journey and how I am still taken by surprise for that level of bravery to embark on a professional journey I was so scared to do. Today, on what should be the celebration of my Rodanniversary, has instead turned out to be one of the most surreal, painful, and grief-filled moments of my entire life. The Rector’s livelihood was taken away in an instant with a restructuring of R+F’s business model… I woke up today having no clue I would be receiving this news and am finishing the day pinching myself to see if I am really and truly experiencing this nightmare.  I have one million thoughts and none at all at the exact same time. Tonight, after processing the reality for myself and with BJ, we chose to sit Eleanor and Tripp down to have the impossible conversation with them - one we genuinely never dreamed could ever come about. And I never want to forget what we talked about around our d...
Post a Comment
Read more