This year has just been crazy! Despite the snowstorms, Kaitlyn came in the night of 12/18. I was a little worried since the fog had been so bad. I love that the snow has hung around. From then on it was fast and furious! The girls went shopping on the 19th with Celia and Fred.
Then they started the cookie baking. I tried to stay out of the way because it isn't my favorite thing to do. Celia is amazing with all that! She made like 7 different cookies plus her "crack" of course. It wouldn't be Christmas without it. :) The girls jumped right in and did cut outs and Spritz and many others. Celia has amazing patience. Before and after their baking I made Chex mix. Then more Chex mix...four batches worth. I enjoy doing that, but not the cookie stuff. I also did some holiday bark with dried cranberries, pretzels, nuts and white chocolate. Batch 1 was OK, but batch 2 rocked! Anyway, back to the girls and their endeavors...
Gillian had done some "Advent" candy calendars too that came out really good with candy kisses, star paper boxes and yarn. Really fun! The girls also did candy bar trains. They had a blast doing that. Very creative. It was really cool.
I was desperately trying to get my Christmas cards out, pictures done and sorted and all of that. Wow...I wonder where the time goes. I know...we have lots of kids and a busy life! Along with that I wanted to get our yearly letter done. This year it seems that it was more negative than positive. Life is life though and hopefully we have great support and people care about our struggles and our successes. In the days since mailing them I have had some regrets about our honesty. I'll post the letter and the pic on this blog. Anyone who reads this, I hope you understand that we ARE grateful and blessed, but struggle like everyone else. I'm not sure where it comes from, but I also wanted to get my cookbook 2.0 project done. Did not happen. I'm barely started. It's still mostly a firm image in my mind. Hmmm, let me see...5 kids, full time job, holiday time and oh yeah growing a baby.
Kristy and Tiffany also came into town and stayed the night with us to shop. Many feelings about that, but that's another story for another day.
December 23 brought our Christmas celebration. We started the day...another busy one of course...with me doing some lab work for baby stuff and doing some last minute shopping. I came home and the girls were showered and eager to open their gifts. It was really neat to see their excitement. They also requested Celia's AMAZING corned beef recipe. This meal just will knock your socks off. If it doesn't, there's something wrong with you! Kaitlyn's big gift was the InStyler and Gillian got a new bike. She's going to be set until adulthood with the bike. It was really great to see the delight and fun happen. The boys opened their stuff from the girls and Christina. They really were getting into the opening of the gifts part. It was a really fun evening.
December 24 was fast and furious as well. We celebrated Kaitlyn's 14th birthday. She picked her cake and it was DELISH! It was Chocolate Cherry Cake. OH MY! What a keeper. Basically, you mix in a can of cherry pie filling with a Devils Food Cake Mix. We frosted it with milk chocolate frosting and some festive sprinkles. Kaitlyn's gifts were mostly clothes, but also itunes gift card and some earrings. I can't believe she's 14 already! Despite her being a true teenager, she is a good kid and I'm really proud of her. After the quick celebrations, we were off to the airport for the delayed flight. The girls were up and out about 3o min. later than planned. Not too bad for still having snow in Reno. Next year they will be here for Christmas day and I can't wait.
Christmas day came before we knew it. The little boy's faces were filled with shock and awe when they discovered that Santa left them a train table and easel in their play area. From then on the morning was pretty crazy. Once the little guys found something, it was tough for them to move on to something else. It was stimulation overload for sure. We kept prompting them to open more things, but it took quite awhile. Hortons gave the little guys lots of new books. Colvins brought clothes and a toy mailbox and scribble box. They loved it! Grammy McVey sent Thomas stuff and the boys popped the hats right on. Grandma gave them a tent with a tunnel that they absolutely love! It was a good Christmas for the little guys. They didn't really realize the whole santa part but they sure loved the presents. Gary was onto the unwrapping part right away. It was super cute to watch. We attempted to lay the little guys down at normal time, but the day was just too much for them. They barely ate anything and oh by, by bedtime it was mayhem here. They had a great time, but sensory overload was clear. Especially for Ryan. He and the other boys fought pretty intensely over the Leapster 2. That game is a little advanced for them but every day they seem to be figuring it out a little more.
After the boys went up for their nap, Fred, Celia, Chip and I quietly opened out gifts. Chip came away with a new bike, which he direly needed. His poor bike that he had since college was pretty beat up. I was so happy to get more memory for my laptop. I was ready to throw this Mac out the window. Now it's running like a champ! I was really happy. Chip and I gave each other a new TV and BlueRay for our bedroom. We have it hooked up, but no cable yet. We may switch from DirecTV. We'll see.
Fred is into coins and Chip is really getting into it too, so Fred and Chip had a moment when Chip gave Fred a cool Austrialian coin. It was neat to see. We really enjoyed exchanging our gifts. It is always weird not to have the girls with their excitement with us, but our gift opening has its own positive vibe.
Celia did almost the entire dinner which was delicious. We had Prime Rib. Chip made his green bean casserole, which totally rocks. I made the meat, which was super easy to follow the directions and preseasoned from Costco. Super good.
Then they started the cookie baking. I tried to stay out of the way because it isn't my favorite thing to do. Celia is amazing with all that! She made like 7 different cookies plus her "crack" of course. It wouldn't be Christmas without it. :) The girls jumped right in and did cut outs and Spritz and many others. Celia has amazing patience. Before and after their baking I made Chex mix. Then more Chex mix...four batches worth. I enjoy doing that, but not the cookie stuff. I also did some holiday bark with dried cranberries, pretzels, nuts and white chocolate. Batch 1 was OK, but batch 2 rocked! Anyway, back to the girls and their endeavors...
Gillian had done some "Advent" candy calendars too that came out really good with candy kisses, star paper boxes and yarn. Really fun! The girls also did candy bar trains. They had a blast doing that. Very creative. It was really cool.
I was desperately trying to get my Christmas cards out, pictures done and sorted and all of that. Wow...I wonder where the time goes. I know...we have lots of kids and a busy life! Along with that I wanted to get our yearly letter done. This year it seems that it was more negative than positive. Life is life though and hopefully we have great support and people care about our struggles and our successes. In the days since mailing them I have had some regrets about our honesty. I'll post the letter and the pic on this blog. Anyone who reads this, I hope you understand that we ARE grateful and blessed, but struggle like everyone else. I'm not sure where it comes from, but I also wanted to get my cookbook 2.0 project done. Did not happen. I'm barely started. It's still mostly a firm image in my mind. Hmmm, let me see...5 kids, full time job, holiday time and oh yeah growing a baby.
Kristy and Tiffany also came into town and stayed the night with us to shop. Many feelings about that, but that's another story for another day.
December 23 brought our Christmas celebration. We started the day...another busy one of course...with me doing some lab work for baby stuff and doing some last minute shopping. I came home and the girls were showered and eager to open their gifts. It was really neat to see their excitement. They also requested Celia's AMAZING corned beef recipe. This meal just will knock your socks off. If it doesn't, there's something wrong with you! Kaitlyn's big gift was the InStyler and Gillian got a new bike. She's going to be set until adulthood with the bike. It was really great to see the delight and fun happen. The boys opened their stuff from the girls and Christina. They really were getting into the opening of the gifts part. It was a really fun evening.
December 24 was fast and furious as well. We celebrated Kaitlyn's 14th birthday. She picked her cake and it was DELISH! It was Chocolate Cherry Cake. OH MY! What a keeper. Basically, you mix in a can of cherry pie filling with a Devils Food Cake Mix. We frosted it with milk chocolate frosting and some festive sprinkles. Kaitlyn's gifts were mostly clothes, but also itunes gift card and some earrings. I can't believe she's 14 already! Despite her being a true teenager, she is a good kid and I'm really proud of her. After the quick celebrations, we were off to the airport for the delayed flight. The girls were up and out about 3o min. later than planned. Not too bad for still having snow in Reno. Next year they will be here for Christmas day and I can't wait.
Christmas day came before we knew it. The little boy's faces were filled with shock and awe when they discovered that Santa left them a train table and easel in their play area. From then on the morning was pretty crazy. Once the little guys found something, it was tough for them to move on to something else. It was stimulation overload for sure. We kept prompting them to open more things, but it took quite awhile. Hortons gave the little guys lots of new books. Colvins brought clothes and a toy mailbox and scribble box. They loved it! Grammy McVey sent Thomas stuff and the boys popped the hats right on. Grandma gave them a tent with a tunnel that they absolutely love! It was a good Christmas for the little guys. They didn't really realize the whole santa part but they sure loved the presents. Gary was onto the unwrapping part right away. It was super cute to watch. We attempted to lay the little guys down at normal time, but the day was just too much for them. They barely ate anything and oh by, by bedtime it was mayhem here. They had a great time, but sensory overload was clear. Especially for Ryan. He and the other boys fought pretty intensely over the Leapster 2. That game is a little advanced for them but every day they seem to be figuring it out a little more.
After the boys went up for their nap, Fred, Celia, Chip and I quietly opened out gifts. Chip came away with a new bike, which he direly needed. His poor bike that he had since college was pretty beat up. I was so happy to get more memory for my laptop. I was ready to throw this Mac out the window. Now it's running like a champ! I was really happy. Chip and I gave each other a new TV and BlueRay for our bedroom. We have it hooked up, but no cable yet. We may switch from DirecTV. We'll see.
Fred is into coins and Chip is really getting into it too, so Fred and Chip had a moment when Chip gave Fred a cool Austrialian coin. It was neat to see. We really enjoyed exchanging our gifts. It is always weird not to have the girls with their excitement with us, but our gift opening has its own positive vibe.
Celia did almost the entire dinner which was delicious. We had Prime Rib. Chip made his green bean casserole, which totally rocks. I made the meat, which was super easy to follow the directions and preseasoned from Costco. Super good.
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