Merry Christmas from the Brights

Thanksgiving- Matt, Taylor, Elissa and Xander

Xander and Taylor

Thanksgiving- Taylor, Baleigh, Landon and Xander

Merry Christmas!  We enjoyed an early Christmas gathering with Matt's family and Taylor had a great time opening presents and playing with her cousins, Baleigh and Landon.  Here's a good one of the kids from Thanksgiving (which pretty much sums up the activity level of all the kiddos).  

Christmas- Xander, Taylor, Baleigh and Landon

Taylor in her Christmas "costume"

We went to my Grandma and Grandpa's in Nebraska for Christmas Eve and day.  Taylor came to Christmas Eve service while Matt stayed home watching over sleeping Xander.  Taylor loved all the singing (and added her own clapping) and even sat up front for the children's story.  She was very excited for the end of service when we got to hold a lighted candle...potential disaster, but after a moment of not listening to mommy's rule about she MUST allow me to also hold the candle, she did great!

Xander

Elissa, Xander, Taylor, Matt, Kelly, Paul, Lily (dog), Granddad and Mimi

After service, it was off to the Christmas party!  Surprise, Xander was awake when we got back to the house and I was so nervous that this was the start to yet another 4-waking night (Xander has been getting over a virus, then strep of the nose since Thanksgiving so little sleep has been had).  But apparently he had a conference with his cousins Luke and Sam (just 1 month older) who have been sleeping through the night for a couple of months now, and they told him of the joy of a good night's sleep because Xander slept through the night for the first time!  He went to bed at 8:30, had a brief waking at 5:30 and then woke up at 7! Just wish I had gone to bed earlier to truly enjoy his first full night of sleep :)  

Taylor, Sam, Xander (time for bed!) and Luke

Matt, Sam, Niki, Luke

Matt, Sam, Niki, Luke, Suki, Steve, Cassi

Cassi, Kelly, Gigi, Shaylee and Taylor with her new ladybug pillow

Granddad and Taylor shoveling snow at Great-Grandma and Grandpa's

Family, games, presents and conversation was had and Taylor and Xander enjoyed all the activity and loved seeing people we don't get to see often.  Taylor was especially excited to see her favorite Aunt Kelly and so thrilled once baby Sam and Luke arrived!  Merry Christmas to all!
Love,
Matt, Elissa, Taylor and Xander