Merry Merry and a Happy Birthday

We hope everyone had a Merry Merry Christmas!  What a whirlwind of a week!

We had a such a nice Holiday.  Christmas Eve we continued the tradition of heading to church for a truly magical service and then home for my moms delicious lobster stew and crab cakes.  I love that we still get to spend Christmas Eve and morning at our home with both my family and Alec's family.  I know Alec is smiling down on all that took place and he wants us all to be together, enjoying his beautiful son.

It was such a treat to wake up with Chase Christmas morning.  I assumed that he would not be interested in presents or really understand Christmas...but I should know better by now than to "assume" anything with this kid!  With every gift he opened, he would be so excited, he would tear paper and no matter what the gift, he had the biggest smile on his face and sometimes just could not contain his excitement and his little arms would flail.  Not only did he love opening gifts, but he loved giving them too.  I would hand him a gift and ask him to give it to Grammy, or Auntie, or Papa and he would march over with a giant gift in his little arms and give it with a big smile. 

Chase is very into tractors, and we had somewhat of a tractor themed Christmas.  Papa is always taking him to see big tractors at work and Chase has become a little obsessed.  We watch tractor videos, read tractor books and when he sees a real live tractor he will knock you over to get a better look and screams "tactah!"  He got so many fun presents, but I think I am going to have to build him his own garage, he now has a new jeep, a 4 wheeler and a John Deere tractor!  A 19 month old with 3 vehicles and a Father who loved to race motorcycles, I think I'm in trouble.

Today, December 30t,h is Alec's Birthday.  I thought of him every minute as I do every day, but it made me think of what he might be doing up there on his special day.  I think that my Grandmother baked him a big made-from-scratch chocolate cake with home made vanilla frosting, just what I would have done for him if he were here.  And hopefully he enjoyed watching Chase and I play in the snow.  On a drive home today I was thinking of Alec, I hadn't seen a sign in a while and wondered what has been up to.  Just then I looked up and saw a little piece of a rainbow, next to the sun.  It was an Alec Wink for certain and I smiled up at him and wished him a Happy Birthday and told him I loved and missed him dearly. 

I am grateful for the last week, the time with college friends, highschool friends, church friends, Alec's family, my Mom's family, my Dad's family, we are so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people.  And Chase is so loved, I could not ask for more and I thank God every day for giving us such a Wonderful Life! 



Trying to get the angel on top of the tree! 



Almost!

Angels falling from the sky! 





Chase and Auntie Ya Ya on Christmas Eve

Chase so happy to see Auntie Ya Ya in the morning! 

And MiMi and Auntie Tam! 

Who else is coming to see me!?

Chase multi-tasking...eating 2 twizzlers while passing out gifts! 

Taking a break from opening gifts! 

Christmas sure is FUN!

Uncle Finn gave me some Christmas kisses! 

Boy do I love tractors! 

Papa gave me a big tractor!  

My feet don't quite reach the peddle, but we figured it out! 

Now where do I park this thing!?



Papa showing me how to do guy stuff.



My Mumma, Grammy and Auntie Jill Jill!

Uncle Chris, Josh and Auntie Beth!





DeMarco Family Christmas Party!  And Nana's 84th Birthday...so many kiddos and so much FUN!

I swear Mumma, Grammy didnt give me any chocolate.

Tubing is FUN...but tiring! 

Giving Daddy kisses. (Chase's favorite ornaments are those with photos of Dadda)

Happy 37th Birthday Dadda!  I LOVE YOU ALWAYS!   (Do you like my Bass Pro Sweatshirt, the same one you had!?)

We hope you had a wonderful Holiday.  Not a day goes by where we don't pray for the poor families in Newtown.  I can't imagine the pain and heartache they are experiencing.  At least we know those little babies are safe in the arms of God.

Love and Peace and a Happy, Healthy New YEAR!

Heather, Chase and Millie