Christmas!!!

Christmas morning started shortly after 7, when Ez got home from work. The kids opened their stockings and Ez made a yummy breakfast of french toast, eggs, bacon, and orange juice.

This year David, Alexis, and Lily all wanted more expensive gifts for Christmas, and they knew that if they got those gifts, they wouldn't get too many other things from mom and dad. David wanted 2 PSP games--Madden 2009, and NCAA 2009. Alexis wanted a pink Nintendo DS, and Lily wanted the American Girl doll, Elizabeth. They were all so excited to get their presents!

The first 30 minutes or so of gift opening made the morning rather crazy. Alexis opened her DS and was thrilled, but about 10 minutes after opening it, she couldn't find her stylus. David got his first game, went to play it and his PSP decided to stop working. So while we were tearing apart the living room searching for a pink stylus, and trying to figure out how to fix the PSP and calm David's tears, Lily and Joe and Evie tried to be patient. We found the stylus and helped David to relax a bit by letting him open another cool gift--a football jersey. It didn't make up for the PSP problem, but helped!


Alexis and her DS


Lily and Elizabeth




David


The rest of the present opening became a bit of a blur. Our intentions to all take turns opening gifts, taking pictures, that sort of thing kind of deteriorated a bit, but all the presents did officially get opened, everyone was happy, and that was that.

We decided to get a few more gifts for the family this year than we typically do--a couple of moves, a few games (board and Wii), but the biggest excitement was Guitar Hero, with 2 guitars! David was satisfied enough with the family gifts to keep him content the entire day. The kids are now all walking around singing songs like Walk This Way, Moving Out, and I Hate Myself for Loving You.

More photos from the morning:


Evie's fun spinny toy


Loving her new ride on car


Joe was so excited to get his own "PSP"


You can't go wrong with press on nails and a new Webkinz!


David's first Webkinz--the only one he has ever wanted


Trying our her new DS


David and his USC blanket from mom


The girls and their aprons from mom


Part of the aftermath...oh boy!

Christmas Eve

We had a lovely Christmas Eve. Ez was able to work out his schedule so that he didn't have to leave for work until 10:30 at night, so once he was awake, we had dad the entire evening.

The morning was rather relaxed, we all cleaned up around the house and then the kids had free time. When Ez woke up I ran to Target for a few last minute purchases, and then it was time for the fun of the evening to begin!

The evening was nice and relaxed, with only one hang up--the garbage disposal ate too many potato peels and they jammed the pipes (I will not divulge the perpetrator). So, while we were finishing up all the dinner preperations, Ez saved the day and emptied out the stuck pipe. Luckily it was a pretty easy, not too messy fix. Dinner was yum--we had ham, shrimp, salad, mashed potatoes, and rolls.

In keeping with long running tradition, our evening included the kids getting new pajamas, followed by the reading of the story of the birth of the Savior in Luke 2 and reading the Gift of the Magi (which mom cannot even listen to without crying, and she has heard it yearly her whole life). Lily was rather tired and was nearly asleep on the couch when our reading had finished, so we all sat and chatted until she was having a peaceful slumber.

We decided to let the kids open one family gift (we bought a number of games for the family this year), and had a lot of fun playing Doodle Dice. By the end of the gaming and the eating of dessert, the kids were luckily rather tired and went to bed easily. Ez headed off to work, and Jane and I set to wrapping and wrapping for quite a while! I also had to finish the girl's aprons I was making for them and by the time it was all finished and wrapped and the mess cleaned up and everything in front of the tree, it was nearing 2 a.m. once more. I need to do better next year in making sure I am done with things earlier!


Evie shook her gift upon receiving it, copying what the kids have been doing the past few days!


The pants were insanely long, but easy enough to trim


David


Lily is thrilled with her Camp Rock jammies


Alexis


The gang


Finally ready for the morning!

New cuts

The girls decided it was time for a change. I had convinced Alexis it would be wise to cut a few inches off to try to eliminate some of her tangles, so we went on Tuesday to get her hair cut. Lily decided to tag along.

Lily loves her long hair, but every now and then she wants hair like Kit Kittredge (you know, the American Girl doll). I always discourage it because I love her long hair too, but while at the hair place, she decided to go for it!

Very cute, ladies!

The Days Before Christmas

We of course had lots of fun the few days prior to Christmas, who doesn't? We were busy cleaning and cooking and crafting and playing. On the 19th David and Lily went to Grandma's for a slumber party and to go to a play at the B Street theater. We were meeting them and Grandma at church on Sunday, so Alexis and I decided it was the perfect chance to have a play date with some friends.

Saturday morning Alexis helped me make a bunch of sugar cookies, and that evening Emma and Marissa came to play. They played Dream Life, ate home made pizza, decorated cookies, and giggled--it was a perfect evening for a few friends.


Evie loves to help unload the dishes..so helpful!


Alexis making the sugar cookies


Evie tasting the dough


Joe crafting


Evie enjoying the sprinkles Joe so generously shared with her

On Monday night I took the kids to deliver plates of Christmas goodies do some caroling to a few friends. It was fun for me to take them since I remember doing the same thing with my family years ago. We made it easy and sang a verse of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, but we had lots of fun.

We also got our first package of Christmas gifts from family on Monday. It is always a hugely thrilling moment, especially because I had not put a single gift under the tree yet! I was so afraid Evie and Joe would terrorize the gifts, but they pretty much left them alone--it was our oldest who was the biggest offender! Alexis just couldn't wait to open gifts and kept picking them up and shaking them, begging to open "just one".

The large boxes from the packages kept the kids entertained for a while. Just the right size for young children to hide in--they were surprise gifts for dad!


Joe thinks being shut into a box will be great fun


Lily's not sure she likes this idea


Apparently Evie is indifferent

As for me, I had way procrastinated on the gifts I was planning on making for the kids, so I was up until 2 in the morning sewing for 3 nights in a row. It might not have been too bad if Evelyn wasn't in a terrible habit of waking up each morning at 5:25 on the dot.

It was a busy and tiring few days, but well worth it! We had lots of fun together and got everything done!

Gingerbread House Adventures

We've been making gingerbread houses each year with the kids for a while now, and it is always something we look forward to. We like to put them together on Thanksgiving day if we can because then we have the entire month of December to enjoy snacking on them!

Typically we buy the premade house kit, but since the candies are all kind of yuck with the kits, we buy lots of better candy to fill it up with. Last year was a bit different. I decided to make a gingerbread train like the one we saw in a magazine the year prior. It was my first experience making my own gingerbread--tons of work, but it was so much fun! Everyone enjoyed being able to decorate their own piece of the train.

The kids have been looking forward to making another train this year, but I keep putting it off. I finally decided I'd better get on board and make something for my kids to decorate before I traumatize them for life...but this year I thought it would be fun to make a gingerbread village and have all the kids decorate their own house.

The making of the houses took over my week, leaving other messes everywhere, but I just kept telling myself it was worth! I mad 3 batches of dough on Monday and then spent Tuesday rolling and cutting and baking and cooling and "gluing" 5 houses for my kids.

It was lots of fun, the kids of course loved it. Dad was there to help decorate, which was a special treat because work has kept him more than busy these past few weeks. Grandma Jane was able to come and help too, so we had plenty of helping hands to get the job done! I should have made the houses smaller so that they really could have sat around together in a "village". I didn't really realize how big I was making the pattern! The kids don't care, they are just glad to have made them finally.


Giving a few rules and ideas before the candifying begins












Bedtime for Evie


The finished products

For fun, here are our last few gingerbread creations! The train really was my favorite, I think we will go back to that next year...maybe.


2007


2006


2005

Sisters

Alexis and Lily shared a room when we first moved to Vacaville. When Evie was old enough to sleep through the night well, we gave Alexis her own room and now Evie and Lily are in a room together.

Every now and then Lily and Alexis start to miss each other and I will let them have a slumber party in Alexis's room, but only on the weekends. The past couple of nights Evie has had a harder time falling asleep and staying asleep, so Lily has been doing her night reading in Alexis's room. Last night when I went to get Lily into her room, the girls begged for a sleep over and I caved. I was actually surprised has quickly they fell asleep--it went far better than I had expected!

Tonight was similar, but when I went to get Lily for bed, they were all cozy and nearing sleep, so I let them be. Of course, when I went to officially say good night to them, they were totally hot--they had 3 or 4 small blankets on them, plus both of the girls down comforters on!

It is not every day that they get along so well, so I am deciding to encourage it in any positive way these days!

Funny Evie

It is always fun to watch little kids as they grown and imitate those around them. Evelyn has been so fun these past few weeks, she is doing more, saying more, and just developing a fun personality.

Evelyn doesn't like her high chair. It is a battle to get her in it, so I reserve it for times when her meals will be messier. She especially LOVES to sit with the kids and eat a bowl of cereal. The other morning she was quite involved in her Honey Nut Cheerios while pretending to listen to some music.


Evie loves clothes, or at least the putting on of clothes. The other day I was running errands and the kids were home with Ez. Evie kept bringing Ez clothes she wanted to wear, and her just kept piling them on her! She was in heaven. Of course, she wasn't thrilled when it was finally time to take a few of the layers off.


Every day is like a new adventure...