Christmas Eve

In keeping with family tradition, the kids got to open a present on Christmas Eve. It's usually a family oriented gift like a board game or movie.

Then Leon and I send the kids off to bed so we can stuff stockings, wrap presents, and place everything "just so". We also take a few minutes to do any pre-dinner preparations.

This year I overbought for their stockings...and for future reference: books don't fit in our stockings very well. So I had to improvise.

A Christmas Story

Every year we celebrate Christmas with my side of the family at some time during the holiday season. This year we met at Mom's house a week before Christmas.

The kids pretty much fill up the table nowadays.

  

Look, quick! It's a teenager! And she almost cracked a smile!

There was a lot of cousin sillyness going on. I wish I had taken more pictures of these two.

My brother gave Joshua a Christmas Story to remember: an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle! (the movie is an all-time family favorite)

Then he took all of the boys outside and gave them shooting lessons and shared his own memories from his first bb gun. 

It made the night absolutely priceless.  One I hope the boys never forget. 

Random Holiday Fun

We have been some cookie making fools!

We made lemon sandwich cookies, sugar cookies, and gingerbread men.

While rooting around the freezer the kids found a growth of ice crystals in a container that probably reached it's maximum storage potential. The crystals sure were pretty to study, the picture really doesn't do it justice.

The boys have been learning how to make survival bracelets. 

We hope your season has been just as bright as ours has been. 

Dirty Santa Dinner Party

I love playing Dirty Santa. The game can be so much fun.

Especially when you throw in a few gag gifts for fun.

My new favorite part about dinner parties is the games.

When was the last time you've laughed so hard your belly ached?

That long? Yeah, you definitely need to get together with friends and play group board games.

Gingerbread Mini Village

The kids really wanted to do a gingerbread house this year. It's been a few years since we tackled the project, and this year I didn't get any sudden burst of free time. So I bought a Wilton mini village kit.


 

I was very pleasantly surprised by how easy this kit was to put together. 

I assembled the houses and the kids did all the decorating. 

They turned out amazing.

This was a great family project that I will most definitely do again next year. 

St. Nicholas Day

December 6 is St. Nicholas Day. When I was little we lived in Germany. My mom had us put our boots outside the night before. When we woke up, she'd have it filled with small treats.

Sometimes, I remember in time to celebrate the holiday with my kids as well. Some years the date gets away from me. Some years I'm more organized and have specific gifts for them: chocolate coins, craft supplies for them to make gifts with, and a toy to play with. Then there are years like this one, where my plans fall through (my package doesn't come in the mail on time) and I improvise.

The kids are happy, whatever the year brings.

How We Spent the Rest of Our Day

I took two of the boys out in the snow to play. Joshua didn't want to go. Kelsea was "busy" and Leon was cooking breakfast.

It was such a beautiful sun shiny winter day.









But mostly we all sat around, cozy in the nice warm house, playing video games.

Christmas at Home

We decided to wait and open our family gifts at home. The kids wanted to stretch Christmas out as long as possible. Leon didn't want to haul all of our presents plus the presents for my family out to Mom's, only to have to lug all of our presents plus what my family gave the kids back home.

I admit I was hesitant. I wanted to open all of our presents on Christmas Day. It turned out to be a beautiful weekend though. Leon and I put all of the presents under the tree and filled stockings on Sunday night.





Then really really early on Monday morning, Leon dragged everyone out of bed to start our "Christmas Day".





Family shot!



I put as much time and thought into stuffing stockings as I do buying presents. There is usually a really nice gift, candy, "smell-good", and several small things the kids have either been needing or wanting.

We usually go through them, youngest to oldest.









I love how happy my children are to receive books.