A Very Twomey Christmas

Happy Eleventh Day of Christmas!

Twomey Christmas By the Numbers

20 dozen- cookies baked the week before Christmas

4- days of family celebrations we attended in a row

234- miles we drove in the detroit metro area to celebrate Christmas over 3 days

2:37 am -time we left church after the orchestral midnight mass
 
5- different kinds of homemade presents (homemade cocoa, cinnamon roll mix, hard cider, cookies, chocolate covered pretzels)

706- minutes of BBC programing (in the form of the Elizabeth Gaskell collection) mama received for Christmas

11- wonderful days we got to spend together as a happy (if often tired) little family

Finn's First Christmas in Pictures

Styling our Christmas Sweaters for Family Pictures at Grandma Judi's

 We spent Christmas Eve with Mama's family at Grandma Judi and Grandpa Don's and at Great-Grandma and Grandpa Hanney's.  All our aunts, uncles, and cousins, were there, including Uncle Ryan, who is back from school in Wisconsin.  Mama made two egg breakfast casseroles, one with bacon and one with sausage, the night before and we had them with Aunt April's tasty french toast casserole.

Finn's cousins were happy to be there for Finn's first Christmas (cousin Vince isn't in this picture, because he hadn't gotten there yet). With so many grandkids, there were toys and books everywhere!

After we went to the great grandparents' house, we went to Midnight Mass at our home parish of Assumption Grotto.  (Sleepy Finn stayed with Grandma Sally, who was going to mass in the morning).  The orchestral mass was written by our priest, Father Perrone.  The music, church, and mass were beautiful and full of Christmas joy.

Wake up, little Buddy! It's Christmas morning!

 We spent Christmas morning with just the three of us, listening to Christmas music, opening our couple presents to each other, and playing with our new toys.  (Ok, mostly with Finn's new toys, but Daddy played with his new kindle.)

 I was so excited about the special blocks we got Finn for Christmas, handmade from Michigan wood with beautiful embossed letters on them.  Thankfully, Finn was also excited.  His favorite part? knocking down towers.

Surrounded by his spoils!

 Another dandy outfit.

 Having spiffed ourselves up for another party, we headed to Jf's Aunt Susie and  Uncle Mike's to have a roaring good time with Grandma Sally's family.  There were cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles, and various Lyons family members everywhere!  Much food, drink, and merrymaking was had by all.

Merry Christmas, baby Tommy!

 The day after Christmas, we celebrated with Grandma Sally and Daddy's siblings.  Cousin Lucy was very happy to help the babies open and play with their presents.  Then we headed to Daddy's cousins to see the Twomeys, including Great Grandma Twomey, whose birthday is the 26th.  It was another day of delicious food and good company.

Today is: The Eleventh Day of Christmas and The Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

Finn is: almost six months! one week to go!

Mama is Reading: Nine Horses by Billy Collins