Holiday Happiness

Hello! I hope you have had an enjoyable holiday wherever you are. Ours has been lovely, and we still have one installment yet to come this weekend. From reading other blogs and Facebook posts, I feel very fortunate that our holiday was void of snow storms and illness. In the past 6 days, we have had 18 guests pass through our doors, plus one dog. Eleven of those guests have slept over at least one night. So it has been a whirlwind of clean sheets, food in the oven, wrapping paper on the floor, grandparents entertaining the kids, and lots of warm holiday stuff. We've really enjoyed the first Christmas in our house.





This is where I go all scrapbook-style on you, as I will post a bijillion pictures with captions. We also took so many adorable video clips, I wish they were simple to post. Perhaps some of them will make the cut.





I did not, however, do a good job of taking photos this year. It slips my mind more easily in my own home, and there's an entire get together including my aunt, uncle, and grandparents where I did not snap a single shot. So there may not be fair representation here.

Also, there were a few themes in the gifts worth mentioning this year:

1) Apparently all Brian is allowed to do is fix things around the house, because every gift he received will assist him in this area.

2) Cars for David. This one was obvious, and he loved it. The kid just tripled his car collection, and he now has cars of various makes and model, sizes and materials, remote controlled and self-propelled.

3) Melissa & Doug. For both kids, but especially Katy. Off the top of my head, I can think of 7 M&D gifts that they received, only one was from me, and no duplicates. I really love their stuff, and so do the kids.

Grammy and Papa John after a really nice Christmas Eve service at church. We didn't grow up going to Christmas Eve service because of family commitments, but it's a new tradition that I really enjoy.

Oh, the anticipation of Christmas Eve!

Cookies, milk, and letter for Santa. (She insisted on two cups of milk. Then in the morning she asked where the other one went)

"Dear Santa, Thanks for coming. I 'heart' you. David & Katy"



Christmas morning! Stockings before pancakes!

This cash register has been a HUGE hit. It scans, talks, makes change, identifies coins, has a working calculator, and the money looks real. Both kids have loved it.

Katy loved her sleeping bag so much that she slept in it on her bedroom floor that night. I couldn't believe she woke up in it the next morning, just like that.

Katy's "big gift" was a dollhouse that was hugely successful consignment store find. It came with a laundry basket full of accessories. I had wanted a wooden one, but had a really hard time finding a used one. Again, David loves it, too. It has surprised me how much he has loved all of Katy's gifts.

My Dad and Sue, Great Grandma, and Scout, joined us for Christmas dinner. David with his two buddies.

Proof that at least once a year, I put a real meal on the table.

Grandma Sue brought a gingerbread house, and both of the kids did so great with it. Again, didn't expect David to be able to participate, but he totally got into it.

Finished product.

Many more gifts with Oma and Opa, Aunt Mel and Aaron.

My mom made these cowgirl/boy costumes for the kids.



We've been trying to teach cute cowboy phrases, but I don't know anything except "yee-haw" and "ride-em cowboy."

Lots of relaxing time as well. David in his happy spot on Opa's lap.

Katy got several games, including M&D card games. Opa taught her to play "Go Fish," and she was relentless. It was completely hysterical to watch her play. That's a video I should post.

The last round of visitors included cousins! We really enjoyed getting to see them because now we most likely won't see them again until summer.

It takes five kids to open a gift, don'tchaknow?

For some reason we had a really hard time finding a jump rope. Success!

Now Brian's back to work for a short week before the Rose Bowl and another long weekend. I hope your holidays have been, and continue to be, celebratory.