A glimpse into what it is like to live in our home with six believers at Christmas time.
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Intentional Outdoor Hours: 565+ hours (of 1000)
Besides helping with the farm chores these three days, I didn't get any outdoor time. And we did not get a white Christmas (bummer, jealous if You did!) We had kind of a rainy, dreary Christmas but then inside was especially cozy, warm, and bright!
Besides helping with the farm chores these three days, I didn't get any outdoor time. And we did not get a white Christmas (bummer, jealous if You did!) We had kind of a rainy, dreary Christmas but then inside was especially cozy, warm, and bright!
Reading just a little bit of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson.
Attending Christmas Eve mass. We made it to mass on time (!Christmas miracle!) and it was beautiful and the kids were mostly good although Red took a few wandering trips and blew out my candle during Silent Night seven times, but Rust let me re-light it from his candle each time.
Delivering cookies & cards elf style on the way home from Christmas eve mass with Grey and Rust. The boys dropped off our notes to neighbors thanking them for their beautiful holiday displays and letting them know how much their time and effort was appreciated as we drove past all season. Then we delivered cookies and Christmas cards to our nearest neighbors too. The kids love dashing through the night dropping the gifts on the front porch, mailboxes, or getting to do it face to face if anyone is home.
Merrymaking at our house on Christmas eve. It's our annual tradition and all the grandparents were able to come this year including Mimi and plus Kuma, Buck, and Morgan too! The kids love having a few more faces to bounce around as they call out to Echo every two minutes to ask where Santa is. We actually just pulled up the Norad Santa Tracker Live feed on Youtube up on the tv and they kept running back in to see where he was at. We had a great time snacking, drinking, and chatting. Abba read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas to the kids after they opened their one gift (matching jammies!) Then it was cookies & milk for Santa and magic reindeer dust in the yard before they all very enthusiastically when up into the beds to try to sleep.
Saying goodbye to Marco. We have a 'touchable' elf - more like a snuggable elf because all month long the kids carry him everywhere, read to him, bring him to the dinner table, take naps with him, and play with him like a baby doll. The reason we can do this without him getting misplaced in the day is because he has a "charging box" (it's a Christmas decorated wine gift box) and the kids make sure he's in there before they go to bed - otherwise he won't move at night. Marco is a beloved member of our family and he randomly comes up through the whole year ("I wonder what Marco is doing at the North Pole?") so when Christmas eve comes and Santa will be picking him up; it's the saddest part of the day every year. All the kids give him big hugs and whisper in his ear, Rusty cried this year and we had to remind him that Marco has family and friends that he is excited to get back to and we had so much fun with him. What a magical world I am blessed to live in right now.
Wrapping and watching Christmas movies until 2am. Hah. At least I got to squeeze in watching The Family Stone and most of The Holiday before Christmas morning, right? I wrapped and B assembled and organized and we laughed and cheers'ed our drinks and smiled at our hilarious, messy life.
Relishing in the magic of six believers on Christmas morning. omigosh. best Christmas morning we've ever had hands down. B and I both said it a million times that day. The kids were so excited and although there wasn't a ton of huge gifts (and no technology still praise the Lord!) there were enough gifts that the listening magical ears of Santa knew exactly what to get that would surprise and delight them.
Heart bursting with joy while witnessing them open their favorite gifts under the tree which were all the gifts they had secretly bought for each other. We did a sibling gift exchange (they each pulled one sibling name) and we had taken them to 5Below this week so they could pick out $10 worth of gifts for their person. The avoided each other around the store and tried to pick out things they knew the other person would like. Oh man, it was so hard for Rusty - he saw so many things he wanted for himself, luckily for Vi who had his name - she heard every single thing he was talking (a Mario Cart action figure and a Jumanji board game) about and bought exactly that! Gem loved picking out a giant bouncy ball and sword for Red, Grey picked a stuffed animal and a surprise bag for Violet, Rust picked out a stuffed animal and a stroller clip on toy for Violet. I picked Grey and Gem stuff for Red and Liv and then we all went home and they had to wrap their gifts too. On Christmas morning, their exchange gifts were in their piles and they smiled, cheered, thanked, hugged, and laughed with each other the most about those gifts. MY HEART, good Lord, my heart.
Celebrating at Pappy & Gigi's house. We spent Christmas Day afternoon at their house eating, opening gifts, laughing, and so much wrestling from all the boys, even Pap and Daddy! We sang Happy Birthday to baby Jesus and Liv ate her way through the day loving the sweet potatoes, ham, and rolls.
Tending to Reddy who had a little fever and was pretty cranky on Christmas day. Poor little guy I think has some molars coming in.
Watching Don't Look Up on Netflix. whoa. good, scary, sad, discomfiting...all the things.
Celebrating at Abba & Chum's house. We spent the afternoon of the 26th at my parents' house with my sisters and their fellas and our sweetie pie nephew Wells (and Lady the pupper too!) There were gifts, laughter, and even a hot sauce challenge all squeezed around the table with the punishment of bailing out being a taste of a sardine. (Hahhha) We sang Happy Birthday to Bryan and then cousin Becca visited for a little bit as she's on leave from the Navy stationed in FL (love you Becca!)
Celebrating at Mimi's house. And then on the evening of the 26th, we headed over to Brandon's grandma's house with our cousins and aunt and uncles on the Studer side. We opened gifts, ate even more (how? how much food is too much good food made by grandmas?) and got some great quality time with each other, especially all the cousins together.
Suffice to say, everyone was pooped by the night of the 26th. We barely made it back home and rolled, poured, and dragged ourselves into the house to change into jammies and fall asleep. Leave the unloading, unwrapping, and organizing to tomorrow! The only thing we managed was to throw leftovers in the fridge so we wouldn't have to make food for the next several days (LOL!)
Sporting with nothing besides text messages with the moms of Grey's 3v3 tourney teammates. They will be playing at the Y this coming week in a holiday tournament!
Making lots of yummy stuff for Christmas Eve including a blooming chicken quesadilla ring, "crack" brussels sprouts, grape jelly & chili meatballs in the crockpot, the girls put together my cheese and cracker tree shaped charcuterie, and Gem and Grey prepped and assembled the broccoli, cucumber, & cherry tomato wreath shaped veggie platter. We got to enjoy food both other days at our loved ones houses!
Sounds like a dreamy Christmas, friend. So happy for you!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of Olive in her diaper, that smile and her little belly, so delicious! Squeeze her good for me!
And the one of Red coloring in front of the tree is sooo precious.
Love to you and your fam. xoxo