Christmasing - part 1

Since we planned to spend our Christmas weekend in a hotel room in St Louis, Gabriel and I celebrated Christmas with gifts for our little family the Saturday before.  

I wrapped Liam's gifts in these holiday bags I made following this idea. I love that the ribbons are sewn into the bag, and that we'll get to see these bags year after year. Well, at least for as long as my boys aren't mortified by Sesame Street Christmas gift wrap... At least they were a big hit this year: Liam saw them and said Oooo. what's that?

 

He was even more excited with what was inside.  

 

Cars!

And a parking garage/city tower.

I found this at a thrift store back in June for $8. I scooped it up and tucked it away in the closet, knowing it would be perfect for Liam this Christmas.  

All we had to get were a few cars and a play rug to complete the gift, which is why my mom and I went all the way to Ikea in Dallas at the beginning of the month. We bought this play rug (and a number of other things...), but when Gabriel and I went to set up Liam's Christmas gift the night before, we unrolled the rug only to discover that I actually bought this mouse rug instead. What!?! I don't know if I should laugh, cry, or be really really mad at myself. And, to add insult to injury, the mouse rug cost twice as much and we don't even like it.

I bought Gabriel a set of smell-good products: cologne, aftershave, and bar soap. We're both really particular when it comes to scented things and find most products to be overwhelmingly artificial smelling, but we both like this brand.  

 
 And for me? A tripod for my camera. And what else do you do with a new tripod but take lots and lots of ghost pictures... 

What about this little guy's gift? We went together with my mom and Molly to get him a big gift, which he got in St Louis. He didn't seem to mind one little bit.

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