our weekend in Meridian

The day after Thanksgiving we woke up bright and early and headed to Meridian to see my family. My brother flew into town for Thanksgiving and my dad and step-mom just moved back there after living in Denver for 5 years (yay!) and it was the perfect time to see everybody all together!

On (black) Friday we shopped until we dropped (mostly online). We got 90% of our Christmas shopping done that day! My mom babysat Liam for a couple of hours while Nic and I went to a few different stores in person but we honestly had more luck online than we did braving the crazy crowds. In the evening we celebrated my brother's birthday (it was on Sunday) with my mom and a couple of his friends. We made homemade pizzas and salted caramel ice cream from our ice cream maker my brother bought us for Christmas last year and enjoyed everyones' company. Liam even got his first visit from Santa that night!! As expected, he wanted nothing to do with him and either gripped onto me or my mom during the whole thing. He was willing to accept a candy cane from him so, baby steps. Sorry in advance that these are really poor quality Santa pictures. They were taken late at night with a cell phone but no Santa visit can go unshared so grainy pictures it is!

I think my mom was secretly loving that he chose her over Santa. ;)

On Saturday we got to have breakfast at my dad and Edie's new beautiful home! I got the grand tour while Liam drug Nic upstairs to the toy room and made himself right at home! Wouldn't even leave later that morning without three cars he found in there in hand so we borrowed them for a few hours until we came back later that evening.

During the day, my brother sweetly hung Christmas lights on our mom's house for her ...

Meanwhile, I contributed my talents and just took pictures of everyone haha ...

Liam is in love with Christmas lights and gasps every time he sees someones house lit up, it is adorable! I can't wait to start a little Polar Express tradition of hopping in the car and driving around to look at Christmas lights with hot chocolate in hand this year! I think he'll love it!

My brother is such a good uncle, he adores Liam and I think the feeling is mutual ...

He also adores his Sita too!

My mom really wanted a picture taken for her Christmas card while we were all there. This was our best attempt haha ...

On Saturday night we went back over to my dad and Edie's to celebrate my brother's birthday round two. They made delicious enchiladas with their left over turkey from Thanksgiving and better than sex cake for dessert! ;)

Love these two ...

At one point during the night when we were all standing around and talking in the kitchen, I looked over at the stairs and saw this adorable moment. I couldn't run fast enough to get my camera!

I have the most darling little nieces ever!!! Abby and Ava are such good big sisters/cousins!

And that most handsome nephew!

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" and then all of the little cousins helped their uncle blow out the candles on his cake. ;) 

Olivia and Liam were loving playing in the boxes, bows, and wrapping paper during present opening. Look at that darling little mischievous smile ...

I love how in this next picture, everyone is focused on the knife that Brendan just opened and then there is Olivia and Liam in their own little world in the middle. She reached out to hold Liam's hand and I died from the cuteness!

There is nothing better than family and everyone was so happy to be back together again!

And last but not least, my sisters. Besides the woman my brother will marry one day, they are the only sisters I will ever have and I couldn't be more grateful for them. They are wonderful mothers and  incredible role models to me!

After we put Liam to bed for the night, we watched something I have been dying to see for weeks now, the winter episode of Gilmore Girls! Can't wait to finish the rest of the season soon. We couldn't have asked for a better weekend with my family! We miss them all so much already and can't wait until Christmas!