Christmas 2016

I like Christmas Eve more than Christmas. I think it's just the anticipation. I had just a couple of things to make that day but James was in eating mode, not sleeping mode so I felt more rushed that day than I wanted. 

We finally made sugar cookies. I made the dough before the baby was born and had it on hand in the freezer just for this day.

My kids did such a good job frosting the cookies without licking the knives or their fingers that I dared eat the ones they did instead of just my own. 

Taste over style. Always.

We went to my mom's house for dinner. We had turkey steaks. Turkey steaks were in the regular dinner rotation growing up but they are harder to find now. So hard, in fact, that they get saved for the most special of all dinners: Christmas Eve.

I directed the nativity again this year. And by directed I mean I handed out towels, ties, white tablecloths to unwilling participants and then shushed them in the hallway while they waited their cue. At one point we had 4 angels and no wisemen nor a Joseph but finally the boys realized how much they love participating. 

Hayden is wearing a placemat on his head.

Nothing says Christmas like the fishing pole game. This is fun no matter what time of year. 

I can't wait for these kids to sit around as adults and reminisce about Christmas and it will finally dawn on them how random it actually is that we did this on Christmas Eve. It's so normal to them now.

After that we played Guesstures because sometimes you just want a game that makes you laugh, not think.

Then it was time to go home for Christmas jammies.  I found matching ones for the girls (which I love. So glad Erica gets to wear them again when she's 8) but the boys had to settle for coordinating firetruck ones.

Then the kids went to bed late, Justin and I went to bed even later and then Santa came.

Christmas morning! Henry woke us up at 7:45 which is a record for any day, forget Christmas. 

Henry's new car garage and Justin got some sweet hunting gloves.

Henry got a ukulele and Erica got a big Anna doll.

Since James slept the day away, he didn't get his presents until dinner time. Each child got to open one of his presents and show him. He got a stuffed moose, a book, and some toy rings.

He's so little and incredibly adorable.

Monday Nate and Cassandra and Braden and Molly came over for games and lunch. We played Loopin' Louie--4 square style which means we dubbed a spot the king that you had to survive to reach.

No one loves this game more than Henry.

And I just want to end with this. James will fall asleep on the couch, just like that. So weird. Nice but weird.