Christmas Day

On Christmas Eve, Jackson spent a considerable amount of time talking about how Santa wrapped his gifts.   I was surprised, because I didn't think Santa would be wrapping gifts.    I suggested that Santa might be too busy to wrap all the gifts, and maybe we would wake up in the morning and the gifts he left wouldn't be wrapped. 

He assured me there were plenty of elves to wrap this gifts : )

(Santa wrapped the gifts)

 Charlie was more interested in the fire.

Maggie got a chair. 

Boys got "switch and go dinos" and some new arts/crafts.

All of this sat on top of a new table and chairs set. 

                                                                                                                                                                  

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Charlie opened a present from Aunt Trudy and it was in a box of nuts.   He was initially unimpressed until he realized he in fact, did not receive nuts : )

I love his face when he opened it, though.

 Colin and Daniel enjoying some homemade eggnog.

 Our plan was to have a late lunch while the younger two napped.  

I love Christmas dinner. 

Beef Tenderloin.

Crab and corn bisque.

Yum.

And this year some rosemary potatoes.

Colin hit it out of the park.

I like the tenderloin cold out of the fridge the next day almost as much as the first time.

Maggie didn't get the memo about napping while we ate.

So, we fixed her a bowl of puffs and those kept her busy on the ground : )

For dessert, Jackson and Cooper helped make a birthday cake for Jesus.   Used a Christmas tree pan from my mom (I'm guessing from the 70s).   Boys covered it in sprinkles.  Sang "Happy Birthday to Jesus" and then got dressed to go outside.   It has been snowing from about 1pm, and these two (along with Uncle Daniel and Colin) were dying to go play.

Snow pictures to come.

Anticipation

 We had such a wonderful Advent.   I really wanted to start some special traditions with the kids.  However, taking care of four kids usually means constant work to keep everyone fed, changed, happy, attended to .... and I am finding it really difficult to do much outside of the daily necessities.   But we did make it a point to sit down together every night in the Advent season for the Jesse Tree.   I had high hopes of planning it all out - making beautiful ornaments - with lots of activities for kids each day.   We ended up not getting that far - we just kinda winged it.   The older two really enjoyed it.  We never even got an advent wreath, but Jackson drew one for us, and it was perfect.   After mass one day before Advent began, a Catholic bookstore was selling some things - and I picked up some LED flameless advent candles - perfect for all the little hands. When Maggie put the candle in her mouth, we weren't too worried : )

Anyway, I never took any pictures, but hopefully we will remember it all by doing it over again each year.   We can build on it every year as our kids get a little bigger. 

Onto some more pre-Christmas activities...

Baking and decorating Christmas cookies...

 Two nights before Christmas the boys got on their new pjs from the Clampitts.  The boys still want to wear them every night.   They got a kick out of how long the pants were.   Long torsos, these boys.

We put a new book and a new Christmas movie in a box with some popcorn.  They were super excited when they opened it.

 

 

 

On Christmas Eve, we made more cookies : ) and hung out all day.

 

 

I finished wrapping gifts. 

I do NOT like to procrastinate. 

But I was feeling pretty proud of myself for not focusing on gifts and shopping and the rush of it all during Advent.   But by a few days before Christmas I realized as nice as this is, I probably should go get some gifts for the kids : )

 

 Oh yeah, we tried potty training Charlie for three days.  So he had to sit on towels ...

And , sadly, no, he isn't potty trained : ( 

Oh well!  We will persevere!  

And try again in a month or two.   

Or never.  

I despise potty training. 

 Watched some classic Christmas shows ...

 like Frosty. 

Made some winter crafts like this simple "snow" art ... just Elmer's glue and salt.   

They LOVED it.

We finally got dressed and went to Christmas Eve Mass.

 

Back from church - into more Christmas pajamas.   Half of them were recycled from last year ...

Watched another Christmas show - can't remember what since now it's almost a month later ...

Uncle Daniel was all in for the show watching.

Kids went to bed and we threatened Jackson and Cooper not to get out of their beds, but to call for us into their monitor if they needed anything.   Well, it stormed.   And hailed.   And thundered.  And lightning.  

I was up all night trying to make monitors work and turn sound machines back on and just generally lying there miserable and tired because I was worried about them waking up. 

They all slept until 7 am.

I think it was 7. 

Can't remember. 

But they slept all night.

Christmas Day to come.

And then maybe we will plow through January and catch up! 

Maggie was baptized on Sunday and I still haven't even looked through the pictures. 

 

More of December ...

 

 Going to be quick about this.   Wish I could post a million more pictures.   

Went to Simon Louis' first birthday party.   We made a "grand entrance" by running out of gas about 15 minutes away.   Tom came and rescued us.  Showed up WAY late with the cake and the pinata.  

Thank goodness Rebekah has a great sense of humor and got a laugh out of it. 

 I had a great time making Simon's cake.  Was so honored that she allowed me to do it!

(A little bee seemed to enjoy it and landed on the cupcake)

 

 

 The park was incredible!

Jackson.

Doesn't he look so old?  I am refusing to cut his hair short because I know he will look even older. 

 I can't handle it.

 : )  Cooper

 Birthday Boy!

 

 Polar Bear Hunt.

So creative.

Could write so much more.

 

Maggie and Simon playing as things were wrapping up ...

We had so much fun!

 I made some cupcakes with the leftover batter so the kids decorated them the next day with some help from Mawmaw.

 

Jackson and Cooper had a Christmas program for school.

I only have pictures of them before, because we couldn't even see them during the performance ; )

Guess we should get there a little sooner next year.

 

 Trying to get a picture on the stairs.

It was dark. 

I really need to take some time to get to know my camera and take it off auto : )

 These kids make me so happy.

 It happened to be our 9 year anniversary that day.   

Colin bought an icecream cake to celebrate.

(He knows me so well!!!)

 He put it in the fridge instead of the freezer ...

Still tasted great!

Next year we are hoping to take a little "get away" to celebrate the big 10.

I am so thankful for Colin. 

It's been a tough year but a wonderful year.

So many challenges lined with beautiful blessings.

The last Friday before Christmas break, the boys had their Christmas parties.

I'm a room mom for Jackson's class so I got to be there with him to celebrate.

72 Kindergartners.

Whew.

 Marshmallow on a spoon relay.

Took this while I was walking the boys out.  Can't believe we are over halfway through the year.