Christmas Eve

 

For Christmas Eve we always go to the Waite's house.  The dinner was amazing as usual.  The crown pork looked too pretty to eat.  Brody even sat in his highchair like a big boy and ate rolls and potatoes.  Luke didn't eat any dinner, he was too hyper to even sit at the table.  

After dinner, we played a new game I found...Family Feud Christmas Edition.  It was a lot of fun! Next, was our traditional right-left game.  Luke was highly offended that he couldn't play this game and wanted to get on with the opening of presents.  Mark received a blanket and I received a cute keychain from the game.  

It was not easy trying to get a picture of these cute cousins in their matching pajamas from Papa and Grammy.  I don't think it will be easier in the years to come as we get more wiggly bodies.  

When we got home Luke was so excited to get out Santa's cookies and milk.  However, he told us this year that he thought we should only leave Santa one cookie because he was getting pretty fat.  He quickly changed his mind when Daddy told him the more cookies he gives Santa the more presents he leaves!  Luke also decided that Santa would like Coke better than milk...such a smart boy!!!

It didn't take the kids long to fall asleep that night.  Mark and I cuddled up on the couch and watch Christmas Vacation.  I know I always say this, but every year I can't wait for Christmas to come and then I'm sad it's going to be over.  However, this Christmas has been a favorite.  Luke has been too much fun getting caught up in the magic!  I can't wait for more Christmases to come!

Pictures with Santa

I really wanted to have the boys picture taken with Santa but the mall pictures were pretty pricey for a not so great picture.  All during the month of December I kept seeing friends post pictures on Facebook and Instagram of these cute pictures with Santa.  I was hesitant because it sounded pretty stressful and a disaster waiting to happen.  I wasn't sure how Brody would react to Santa and since Mark couldn't come I was afraid I would have to dress up as Santa.  Luckily, Brody was a fan of Santa and the shoot went great.  The photographer only shot for about five minutes and I was amazed with how great the pictures turned out.  I love these two in their jammies!  I can't get enough of them and we will be doing these pictures every year now!

Silly Jolly

Jolly was pretty sneaky this year.  Maybe it was because Jolly became a girl this year instead of a boy.  You'll have to ask Luke on that one.  Mark and I have questioned him on it and he is determined that Jolly is a girl this year.  

Luke's favorite thing that Jolly did was create a zip-line from the light fixture to the tree.  I think this was also Brody's favorite.  All that day he would lay on the ground talking to Jolly.  His least favorite was when Jolly toilet papered the Christmas tree.  Luke was very bugged by this and wanted to clean off the tree immediately.  We loved having Jolly this year and she definitely came in handy a few times when Luke was sure Santa wasn't watching!  Jolly isn't an easy tradition, there were a few mornings when I had to keep Luke in bed with me while Mark and moved Jolly.  I always liked it when Mark moved Jolly because it was fun to help Luke on the hunt to find her!

Pajama Day

Life was getting too busy around the holidays and one day Luke had finally had enough.  He had a meltdown as we got in the car to run yet another fifty errands.  I felt awful as a parent and decided we needed to take a break.  I told Luke that the next day he and Brody could stay in their pajamas and we wouldn't leave the house once.  He was beyond thrilled.

Since we had an entire day to spend at home we decided to bring up the GeoTrax trains and build a Christmas train by the tree.  We built it while Brods was asleep but he wanted at it when he woke up.  Luke referred to him as the "Abominable Snow Monster."  I think he's the cutest little monster ever.

Even though my to-do-list was a mile long it was so nice to spend time with the boys.  It has been way too long since we just relaxed and spent time together.  The day was priceless and we need to do it more often!    

A Message from Santa

One morning it took Luke a long time to spot Jolly.  He finally found her in the office sitting by the computer.  Luke couldn't believe his eyes when he saw there was an email from Santa.  It was beyond magical to watch Luke listen to his email.  He was completely caught up in the magic and was speechless.  Luke would even respond to Santa as if he were really there.  When Santa would say something like, "Now Luke are you listening?"  Luke would sit up straight and say, "Yes Santa, what did you say?"  He spent the rest of the day asking to watch his email again and again.  Santa told Luke that he was on the nice list for now, but he needed to listen to his mom and dad the first time if he wanted to stay on the nice list!  Let's all cross our fingers for Luke!  

Friend Christmas Party

We always love our friend Christmas party each year!  The kids love to get together and the adults always have lots of entertaining conversations.  Last year, we added the ugly sweater theme to the party.  The Hansens' don't do a great job at the sweater idea.  We are definitely beaten each year.  I love to see how creative everyone is with the sweaters!

Megan had the kids decorate sugar cookies and they loved it.  It was so fun to see how serious they took the activity.  There was lots of licking and spreading of germs going on, but they were happy!  At the end of the night Luke and Iz made their way back to the table and decorated one last cookie.  I think the cookie weighed over five pounds by the time they were done.  Brody and his girlfriend Lillie were happy just rolling around on the ground and playing with each other.  

Luckily, the Hansen family didn't get any of the naughty white elephant gifts.  We lucked out this year and unwrapped two good gifts.  However, I felt bad going home with two good gifts while the Kuehne's received two naughty gifts so we shared.  It was a fun night and we always look forward to being with our friends!

Letter to Santa

If you talked to Luke even once during the month of December you would have been informed that he wanted a horse trailer from Santa.  When I told him it was time to do his letter to Santa he knew just what to do.  He grabbed the little magazine he had been carrying around all month and found the red truck and brown horse trailer.  I love his little pictures!  He tried to do them exactly like the magazine so Santa would not make a mistake.  

When we got to the post office he thought it was so cool that they had a mailbox just for Santa.  I love how seriously he took this experience.  This Christmas has been so fun and magical with this little man!  Let's just hope he doesn't change his mind about the truck and trailer before Christmas.

Gingerbread Houses

Each year our family looks forward to the Waite Family Gingerbread Houses.  It's always mildly intense.  The goal is to take a normal gingerbread house, cut it apart, and make a new and wild creation.      My favorite part is how no one tells what the other person is creating, so it's fun to watch their creation come together.  

Everyone gives me a hard time because I just do a simple house each year.  I'm lucky to get a house done since I spend the majority of the night making frosting, getting supplies, etc.  I did turn mine into a birdhouse, but it was still booed by the crowd.  This year a few others joined me in the basic house so that helped!  Grandma and Grandpa Talbot, Rachel, Jess, and Luke also make super cute houses.  Luke thought Jess' house was the best.  For days after the party he kept asking me why I couldn't make my house cute like Jess' house.  I'll try harder next year I guess.

  Tom made a Christmas tree lot that was super cute.  He used the little tree marshmallows for the lot.  Phil did a Mars Rover.  It was pretty cool considering it was actually standing off of the try on the wheels.  Mitch gets the award for using the most food coloring.  In honor of the new movie he created a Hobbit Hill.  Perfect for Mitch!  Eileen actually ventured out this year and didn't do the normal house.  She created a gazebo and it was super cute and Christmasy.  Becca's creation took the most planning.  She did Tangled's tower complete with Rapunzel and her long blonde hair.  Personally, Pat's was my favorite.  He did the Krusty Krab complete with Spongebob and Patrick and it looked identical.

I always love this family tradition.  Even though everyone was mad at me for not baking the houses year and just buying them.  It's so fun to get together with everyone and see their creations.  I love how each of the houses reflects the creator's personality!  I am so lucky to have such an amazing family.