Santa Claus found our house!

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends. We have had a busy and exciting day so this will be brief (ha!). The boys woke at the crack of dawn as usual and got to play with their Santa presents and open their stockings. They were dressed alike in their reindeer jammies and Ethan just adored showing Jason all his presents. Jason just liked the chew toys best.

Waiting on breakfast....with JT eating his new cell phone/chew toy:





Our beautiful tree:


The haul:



Jason wearing Ethan's stocking stuffer.....E loves sunglasses and sports them in the next picture surveying his Santa presents (the unwrapped ones).





Daddy is dressed for the minute in green....but Jason got him before long.


And E gets dressed and insists on wearing his new belt even without belt loops...


And notice how he will not put down the drill. I wish there was an off switch on this and the guitar...mental note...do not buy toys without volume switches and adult friendly on/off switches.



Notice Jeff is now in blue. Thanks, Jason!

After stockings, the 4 of us had a fabulous pancake, eggs and sausage breakfast and then got dressed and waited for the grandparents before opening all the rest. Aunt Susan arrived bearing gifts and food. We had a wonderful present for all when Granddaddy Ed came for the dinner party and we were thankful he had good flying weather and made it.

Menu:
We had quite the dinner choices thanks to help from Mom B, Susan, and Aunt Marie:



Main course:
Turkey, stuffing and gravy (Mom B)
Ham with cranberry chutney (Jenn - like how hard was this one?)
Corn casserole (Aunt Marie)
Broccoli casserole (Susan)
Spinach stuffed tomatoes (Aunt Marie)
Autumn salad (recipe from Grandmother Whitfield and made by Susan)
Cranberry walnut mold (Mom B)
Deviled eggs (I actually made this one)

For appetizers (I did all of these):
Brie with a fig pear jam
Blue cheese and walnut dip with crostini and tapenade
Pears and grapes
Smoked salmon with horseradish and capers

Desserts:
I can't type this much but my mother bought pies...apple, harvest berry, pecan.
I made cupcakes, lemon bars, 7 layer bars, almond toffee bars, peanut butter grahams, Jeff's bourbon balls (Mom's recipe and hard work too), choc magic cookies, Christmas cookies etc etc etc.


Family pics:

A few of us ripping the presents open....





The train table from Aunt Jean and trains from Jeff and I (with a cool tunnel from Grandmother and Granddaddy Ed)






And a few of us playing with E's tractor from Grandma and Grandpa (being opened above):








JT looks so grown up there....sigh....

And a peek at the sand and water table for JT from Grandma and Grandpa:



And some of the rest of the family and the kids:
















Christmas reflections:

We need to do even less next year!

Remind me that I need to hide the Chipmunks CD from Ethan. He loves it and rocks out in his carseat but trust me when I tell you, there is only so much an adult can take. Thanks for this one Jeff. :-)

Sharing is a two way street....Jason doesn't just have to share with Ethan.

Buy 2 Christmas trees next year since Ethan continually asked if we could decorate again and I so wanted to say "okay".

I love the Heat Meiser and Rudolph needs to get a voice coach or sinus medication.

Baking cookies

I am so not domestic normally. Anyone who knows me would tell you that as well. But now I have kids and desire to be super mom. Yes, desire, not succeed. But today we baked. And baked and baked. And we are doing more tomorrow. I couldn't decide which cookies and baked goods to make for the holidays so am making 12. Nothing like jumping in. But they have come out pretty good so far and I am so proud of myself. And I know Mi-ma would be incredulous. Mom and I even made her butter horns. Here is a pic of Ethan helping us to bake the Christmas eve cupcakes and then one of him decorating cookies. He loved it and made stockings, sleds, gingerbread men, angels, stars, Santas and trees. Yes...I told you...all out! They turned out to be my favorites. Mom B oversaw all activities to ensure sanitation grades were met.



So tomorrow should be interesting. Jeff is taking both boys down to Columbia to visit his Grandmother. Yep...both. I am staying home since I have to do the Whole Foods run, get the house cleaned and prepare dinner for 12 for Xmas. Stress is my middle name and it would be my first if I didn't have the weekend to prepare. Luckily, Mom Andrews and Susan and are going with. I think it will be such a great opportunity for Ethan to bond with them and to establish some independence. And all I can think of is sleep...and sympathy. And worry. I bet I call 15 times. Poor Jeff.

Thank-mas

...is what Jeff's Dad calls our gathering during the holidays. Since we were in Seattle for Thanksgiving and they visit Joyce's Mom on Christmas, we do a combined celebration in between so there is no traffic, stress etc. It is a fabulous idea and we had an awesome weekend. Susan and I attempted to make Grandmother Whitfield's 12 layer cake. What a mess...but it tasted okay. Remind me a level oven helps with layers, don't take them out of the pan until cooled and frosting shouldn't run. Susan, you are a saint as always and I really had a blast!

We had a nice dinner and the boys opened their presents and totally got spoiled by Maw-maw and Paw-paw. Ethan just adores them and always asks if "Maw-maw and paw-paw come and see Ethan". He made everyone pictures since we are trying to teach him that Christmas is about giving and sharing. Some days go better on that front than others. We are also trying to teach him not to say "i want" or order us to do stuff and he has become quite creative in his approach. "You want to pick me up?" "You want to come sleep with Ethan" "How about 5 more minutes til night time?" My little negotiator. Here are a few of my favorite pics from the day.

The finished product (sorry Grandmother W):



Maw Maw and Ethan making a stocking. It was so cool...she brought a craft to do with Ethan and he was so excited. They made a Christmas stocking. It is still hanging on our door knob and he was so proud to lace it and put on the cotton. Thanks, Maw Maw.





Paw Paw and the boys:



Reading the Gingerbread Man while Ethan holds his latest baby to add to his night time collection:

Christmas season

I have always loved the holidays but I can't even begin to describe how incredible they are this year. Jeff and Ethan did the Christmas train last weekend near our house (http://www.nhvry.org/) . There is never enough time to get everything done these days but we started on the house, the lights, and of course the tree. Ethan is amazed at the tree and we had a great event getting it up and decorated. We went and bought it at this great local farm where we could also browse the crafty store, sip cider and eat home made cookies (http://www.jordanlakechristmas.com/). They also have the best dog around...an old yellow dog that looks part hound but acts like a lab and the kids just adore him. They really make a nice event of it. We then took it home (with their help since it is 8 feet and change), put it up and put the lights on. Took us another few nights to put all the ornaments on it - it is huge! I still think we need more ornaments. :-)

Every day Ethan would watch us, help, and vacuum up the needles after us. All the while, touching it with reverence, blowing kisses at it and telling the tree how much he loves it. Here are a few pics of us decorating. The little ones had to stop for a snack break at one point.

Day 1 - the lights





Day 2 - the ornaments





Notice the looks on the faces in that last one. I don't usually think they look alike but something about their expressions makes me almost change my mind.


We took the boys to see Santa this morning and they had such a great time. Ethan was able to tell him how he wanted "presents" and Jason managed not to scream until right after we got him off the lap. Phew...crisis averted.



I also took Ethan on the carousel ride as is our tradition. Jeff and Jason watched and took pictures.