By the time Christmas finally gets here, after much anticipation, it's over with so quick and I'm left wondering "That was it? Its really over already?!" The last few days before Christmas just get so busy! And this year didn't prove different!
Friday we spent the day baking , decorating cookies, and wrapping presents. It was a nice day with my family.
Zach even helped!
Rylee was very meticulous about her cookie frosting.
Haylee, well, I wouldn't eat Haylee's. She licks more than she decorates.
This picture makes it very clear where Haylee gets her sugar obsession from...I wouldn't eat Scott's cookies either.
The finished products.
We ended the evening with candy cane hot cocoa and Christmas movies.
On Christmas Eve, Scott pretended to go to his brother's house but instead was out back all morning setting up the swing set we got the kids for Christmas. The kids never even noticed and we spent the day finishing up the baking for Christmas. After lunch, Scott headed off to Church to set up so we got ready and took our Christmas pictures missing Scott!
We picked up my Mom and she joined us at church! The girls got to sit with us and even went up on stage to sing Jingle Bells.
Afterwards we went to my cousin's house for Christmas Eve with my family. There was plenty of great food and fun, the girls especially had a blast. On the way home we drove around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, but only Rylee stayed awake for it. When we got home, I tried to get them to open up one present (new jammies) but a melt down ensued. Rylee was super chipper though and got Santa's cookies and milk all ready. Zach tried to eat the cookies but was told "No, those are for Santa." He was NOT happy.
My darling children all perfectly happy and posing in their new jammies...HA!
The next moring we were awoken by two extremely excited little girls that were AMAZED Santa came! Rylee even said, "I didn't know we were on the nice list!" Their excitement was the best! I loved it! Zach was even excited to see a present for him!
These next picture sum up my kids exactly...
Rylee got the Barbie Doll she asked for and was thrilled.
Out of the presents Haylee got, she was most thrilled about the candy and immediately started eating it.
And Zach was starving too!
Haylee opened this present for me and it made it pretty obvious what my present from Scott was going to be...She unwrapped Hot Chocolate K-Cups. Hmm what could be in that big box?!
It was a Keurig! I absolutely love it!!
We had the kids open a box with a note inside and after Rylee read it out loud over and over "Go look out back, Love you!" they FINALLY got it and ran outside to find their swing set. This was the BEST present, for all of us! The kids play on it all day, its wonderful!!! They have woken up every morning since begging to go outside and play. They don't care if its cold and wet and they stay entertained for hours. I got it for an amazing deal on black Friday, and it was by far worth being up all night!
The aftermath...
Then we sat down for a homemade Christmas breakfast together. In the girls advent calender, that I fixed up this year to include a verse from the Christmas story along with candy each day (which Rylee memorized a lot of it!), they got a birthday candle in the Christmas day door. We sang Jesus Happy Birthday and then they wondered how He would blow out the candle. =) I'm so glad we did the calendar and the candle because it helps slow down the rush of the season and bring us back to the focus.
Then we headed over to my Mom's to spend the day with my family.
We hung out and opened presents
I had a conversation with my Mom a week or two prior about a Keurig coffee maker. She was asking me if I thought my Aunt would like one and I told her yes, and how much I would love one because they are just great! I was actually a bit jealous that my Aunt was getting such an awesome coffee maker! But she was just setting me up to find out if I would like one! The girls brought the present over to me and It all instantly clicked and I knew what it was. I was slow to open it because I knew I would have to deal with the awkwardness of telling my Mom I already got one this morning and this totally amazing present she was excitedly giving me I already got! =( I opened it and sure enough it was the exact same one! Needless to say, my Husband and my Mom love me very much and know me well. Thank you both. And yes, I only kept one. Too funny!
We then went over to Scott's parents for Christmas dinner and more presents! (It seems like I never get pictures from there!!) Afterwards we stopped back by my Mom's house because we had left before most of my family got there. We were all tired and Haylee was desperately trying to fit on my lap with Zach. She got pretty crafty and set up a chair in front of mine and fell asleep half on my chair half on hers!
We got home, tucked everyone in, and called it a day. Merry Christmas!
The finished products.
We ended the evening with candy cane hot cocoa and Christmas movies.
We picked up my Mom and she joined us at church! The girls got to sit with us and even went up on stage to sing Jingle Bells.
Afterwards we went to my cousin's house for Christmas Eve with my family. There was plenty of great food and fun, the girls especially had a blast. On the way home we drove around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, but only Rylee stayed awake for it. When we got home, I tried to get them to open up one present (new jammies) but a melt down ensued. Rylee was super chipper though and got Santa's cookies and milk all ready. Zach tried to eat the cookies but was told "No, those are for Santa." He was NOT happy.
My darling children all perfectly happy and posing in their new jammies...HA!
The next moring we were awoken by two extremely excited little girls that were AMAZED Santa came! Rylee even said, "I didn't know we were on the nice list!" Their excitement was the best! I loved it! Zach was even excited to see a present for him!
These next picture sum up my kids exactly...
Out of the presents Haylee got, she was most thrilled about the candy and immediately started eating it.
And Zach was starving too!
Haylee opened this present for me and it made it pretty obvious what my present from Scott was going to be...She unwrapped Hot Chocolate K-Cups. Hmm what could be in that big box?!
It was a Keurig! I absolutely love it!!
We had the kids open a box with a note inside and after Rylee read it out loud over and over "Go look out back, Love you!" they FINALLY got it and ran outside to find their swing set. This was the BEST present, for all of us! The kids play on it all day, its wonderful!!! They have woken up every morning since begging to go outside and play. They don't care if its cold and wet and they stay entertained for hours. I got it for an amazing deal on black Friday, and it was by far worth being up all night!
The aftermath...
Then we sat down for a homemade Christmas breakfast together. In the girls advent calender, that I fixed up this year to include a verse from the Christmas story along with candy each day (which Rylee memorized a lot of it!), they got a birthday candle in the Christmas day door. We sang Jesus Happy Birthday and then they wondered how He would blow out the candle. =) I'm so glad we did the calendar and the candle because it helps slow down the rush of the season and bring us back to the focus.
Then we headed over to my Mom's to spend the day with my family.
We hung out and opened presents
I had a conversation with my Mom a week or two prior about a Keurig coffee maker. She was asking me if I thought my Aunt would like one and I told her yes, and how much I would love one because they are just great! I was actually a bit jealous that my Aunt was getting such an awesome coffee maker! But she was just setting me up to find out if I would like one! The girls brought the present over to me and It all instantly clicked and I knew what it was. I was slow to open it because I knew I would have to deal with the awkwardness of telling my Mom I already got one this morning and this totally amazing present she was excitedly giving me I already got! =( I opened it and sure enough it was the exact same one! Needless to say, my Husband and my Mom love me very much and know me well. Thank you both. And yes, I only kept one. Too funny!
We then went over to Scott's parents for Christmas dinner and more presents! (It seems like I never get pictures from there!!) Afterwards we stopped back by my Mom's house because we had left before most of my family got there. We were all tired and Haylee was desperately trying to fit on my lap with Zach. She got pretty crafty and set up a chair in front of mine and fell asleep half on my chair half on hers!
We got home, tucked everyone in, and called it a day. Merry Christmas!
Things changed once we got there though! Haylee was in a weird mood and clung onto Holly. She watched the ballet though and liked it!
