Perhaps it's because we are in a Pandemic, but I am just giddy for Christmas. If Paisley wasn't so against it, I would have put the tree up in November, put Christmas movies on loop and cranked the Christmas tunes. I love it all! Here we gooooooo....
Sadly, there was some water damage to one of the Christmas bins in the crawlspace. It was the bin with all of our cute, fluffy, furry stockings I sewed a few years ago. I started looking around at buying some to replace and quickly remembered why I chose to sew in the first place, decided to save money and just make new ones.
It's December 1st and time for the Advent Calendars!!!
The kitchen table will now be full of Christmas crafts, tree trimmings and makings of new stockings.
Charming view of a not-often viewed space.
The tree! I've wanted to try drying oranges and make garland and after seeing Ashley's cute tree decided to add grapefruit. I also drew and cut out little gingerbread houses to hang on the tree, and added some velvet ribbon. It turned out real sweet!
Eli dining at a cozy Christmas table.
Buddy Ho-Ho Goodfellow's baaaaaaaaack! This is the first year Zeke played a part in moving him around. He told me how weird it was to actually touch him. We all took turns, it made it fun to see what everyone did. Mostly Zeke.
I love Paisley's adorable sleepy-concentration face. Part home-schooled during a Pandemic.
There goes Paisley, off to a friends house. She's prepared with a backpack with things she thinks she'll need, and a blanket to keep her warm on her walk. I thought it made her look like she has a funny hunch.
Cutie Zeke all ready to head out to school in a festive Christmas room. With the green walls it felt a little like Home Alone in here. Cute, cute!
Adren has stumbled upon a little girlfriend drama, and was trying to decide what to do. We went to lunch and he asked my advice. I told him to go with his gut. I guess his gut told him to break things off. It would only last a week, but I certainly can relate to the heartaches and emotions involved. It is
so hard to not always tell him what I think he should do. (I guess I do tell him plenty, if I'm honest, and I'm trying to listen more and advise only when I think he'll listen.) I appreciate him wanting to do the right thing and learning as he goes. After having a chat with her, he came home so sad and I thought this moment of needing comfort was so sweet.
Sigh.
Christmas gathering with the CRU:
Diana, Me, Mary, Debra, Mindy, Elizabeth. Not here- Kelly. A couple of us met up with her afterwards around her cozy fire and chatted to the wee hours.
I sent this to Kelly after several texts from her needing to just get out and grab a drink, park and chat. (Which turns into a long, great conversation that we both need!)
After family prayer, after we tell everyone to go wash faces and brush teeth, get stuff together for tomorrow and go to bed... They always want to stay and chat and chat. Why is that? (It probably has something to do with wifi off, turned in phones and now they don't know what to do...)
This is always where they go back down to the kitchen and come up with plates of food.
Can you tell they're talking about basketball with their dad?
They are precious though.
This time
I did Paisley's festive eyeshadow.
I found this in my phone- a super nice Christmas gift to Zeke from a cute friend. He asked me to take him to Family Dollar so he could find something for her. While we were there we happened to run in to her. We chuckled at the odds of that. I suggested he get a mug that he could decorate with a sharpie and bake, and fill it with candy. I suggested this because he only had about $5. He thought that sounded good. The mug is now undecorated in my cupboard and the Reece's cups have long since been gobbled. It's just too much pressure for a little guy!
This is Christmas Eve!
We looked forward to hosting Granny and Grandpa Taylor, Grandma and Grandpa Geertsen, and Cash for the traditional delicious Christmas Eve dinner!
I thought it was cute that Grandpa just nestled in with the kids for dinner.
We iced sugar cookies and then had our Christmas program. We sang Christmas Hymns and passed the Bible around while reading Luke 2, then watched the video. Every year it feels like we just did this, and each year it gets more special. I have fond memories of Granny and Grandpa Woolf, Ross or Grandma Taylor over on Christmas. I am so grateful my kids will have these special memories and I know it wont be like this forever!
Soon enough everyone hustles off into the Christmas night. We do a quick clean-up and gather around the tree where everyone opens up their gifts to and from each other. (It was at this point Zeke realized he never got a gift for Eli. Oh, dear.)
Then the kids open their Christmas jammies. The boys just wanted shorts and sweatshirts that they can also wear to school. Zeke wanted a full jogger outfit. (They're kindof having a moment.) I really struggled finding something for Paisley, and when it arrived I cringed at how thin and tiny and poorly made the top (missing button holes!) and super short shorts were. I grabbed some long warm socks to hopefully help the situation. It just made it all worse. Oh, well.
They sure are sweetie pies!
It sure is harder and longer to get everyone in bed! They stayed up goofing off for quite a while while Jon and I relaxed downstairs, finding a movie to watch. No matter how organized and prepared I am, it is always a very late night.
Oh, Christmas!
Morning comes quick, but I still had a bit of time to get myself comfy-ready for the day and almost went downstairs to make myself a hot drink when the first of the kids started to stir.
The excitement! I was so stinkin' excited for this year! Eeeeeeeeee!!!
The best day!
Paisley got some darling leather pants. And some cute turtlenecks!
Zeke was most excited to get my old phone. No data, but this is practically a gift to myself because he is at that age where 75% of my texts are
his friends. And he's constantly asking to use my phone. It is time.
Satisfied little kitty.
The Christmas room. That tree! It is so dry and droopy!
The big gift in the corner is what Jon and I were most excited about! A family trip to Florida!!! It's been so hard to keep quiet! The kids opened the big box to find this puzzle wrapped up inside. They were so confused, but when they figured it out, there were tears- which made me cry, and we talked about how fun it will be to look forward to this fun trip with the Goulding's and Cash!!! Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!
And now the best part- Christmas break! Lot's of lounging and snacking and treats and movies.
Here's a Christmas gift to the kids that scored BIG~ A string of LED lights for each room. They are controlled by remote and will bop to your bops. They were put up in both rooms immediately. And now I'm always seeing this glow~
While browsing the shops in the Riverwoods with the family, I spotted this fabulous lamp in a secondhand boutique. I was thrilled to find it under my tree Christmas morning. Jonny...
But I really had to get rid of that tree. It was stressing me out!
Merry Christmas, 2020! You were wonderful to us!
Soon enough everyone hustles off into the Christmas night. We do a quick clean-up and gather around the tree where everyone opens up their gifts to and from each other. (It was at this point Zeke realized he never got a gift for Eli. Oh, dear.)
Zeke was most excited to get my old phone. No data, but this is practically a gift to myself because he is at that age where 75% of my texts are his friends. And he's constantly asking to use my phone. It is time.
Satisfied little kitty.
The Christmas room. That tree! It is so dry and droopy!
The big gift in the corner is what Jon and I were most excited about! A family trip to Florida!!! It's been so hard to keep quiet! The kids opened the big box to find this puzzle wrapped up inside. They were so confused, but when they figured it out, there were tears- which made me cry, and we talked about how fun it will be to look forward to this fun trip with the Goulding's and Cash!!! Eeeeeeeeeeee!!!
