CHRISTMAS EVE 2011
Good morning, happypants!
Today I had a lot to accomplish, and none of it was moving related. We let the kids run around the house and play together fairly unattended, and when it got quiet, this is of course what I found. They had shoved the living room chair up to the tree and were plucking ornaments from it. Totally typical this month.
"Swiper, no swiping!"
We kept Maddie safe and also out of trouble in the exersaucer while I baked.
A little craft time at the table, which never seems to last very long or feel worth the mess left in it's wake.
But I needed to make this (Grandpa Bob's Chex Mix Recipe):
And these (Grandma Jessie's Mexican Wedding Cakes):
And make them presentable to take to my mom's house for Christmas dinner the next day.
We went to the 5pm Candlelight Service at our church with my family, and it was so good.
Also, someone in our family might have nearly caught their paper holder on fire, but we're not into naming names on this blog. I just wanted to record it because it was an AWESOME memory!
You are the light of the world.
My parents and Kelsey came back to our house after the service for a pizza dinner. I wanted a picture of all 5 of us (they are few and far between!) and since we were all dressed up...
Sometimes the kids seem so old, and sometimes (like when I look at this picture) I feel like we have really little kids. A lot of them. No wonder I am tired 90% of the time. :)
I needed a good picture of my mom with the kids. Isn't she beautiful!?
Robbie whipped up a little birthday cake for Jesus. He loves this tradition and remembered it from last year.
About to put it in the oven...
All the pizza places around here closed early, so we ended up picking up half baked Lou Malnati's pizzas and baking them at home after church. It worked out pretty well.
Then the traditional Christmas Eve gifts - pajamas.
They already had Christmas pj's so I went with their current favorite movie characters.
After dinner we made our preparations for Santa and his reindeer. Leaving carrots on the porch for the reindeer... Ellie put her handful out on the porch, then gathered them all back up and brought them back inside. I love watching her totally miss the point of things because she's still so little and doesn't comprehend it all! But she goes along with whatever Robbie is doing, always.
Winding down on Aunt Kelsey's lap.
Ellie sneaks a sip of Santa's milk...
Posing for a picture with their letter to Santa and the cookies and milk they left out for him.
I sort of want to bottle them up and keep them like this forever.
After the kids went to bed and my parents left, my sister stuck around to help me START my gift wrapping! Bless her. I stayed up after she left to finish up and didn't get to bed until 2am.
I packed George our Elf away until next year. You were good to us, George. The kids loved looking for you and you brought happiness to grumpy toddler mornings many days this month.
I nibbled the cookies for Santa and dumped the milk since Ellie has a cold and I never drink after the kids anyways because EWW.
Hmm, this is supposed to be the 'after' shot of nibbled-on cookies. Pretend.
I penned a note back to the kids from Santa in red sharpie.
Rob set up Robbie's special gift this year - an electric train for under the tree that was, wait for it, Polar Express themed! How perfect for our little guy. It was the only thing he asked for this Christmas.
I arranged the packages, took one final picture, and realized that this is the last Christmas we will spend in this living room. I am so excited to move, but so sad to leave this room in particular. So many memories have been made in this spot, in front of our perfect south-facing picture window.
It was a good day, except for the gap we feel as we move through this season without spending time with the other half of our family in New Jersey. We are blessed to have extended family on both sides that we love so much.
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