Highlights from our Christmas!!!

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth- John 1:14

I love the Christmas season! I love spending Advent getting the kiddos ready for the season of Christmas. You can read about our family’s Advent post here. I love the splashes of Christmas red; the smell of evergreen; and the warmth of baking. I love taking a break from homeschooling and just enjoying the family time. I love singing carols and eating baked goods. I love watching the kiddos make and wrap presents for each other. I love the company of visitors and the multiple excuses for parties!!!

This year the children participated in their co-op’s outdoor nativity play. It was awesome! Sweet Pea was given the privilege of playing Our Lady ,while DDD played a shepherd, and the Fashionista played an angel. It was such a beautiful segway into the season of Christmas.

It wouldn’t feel like the Christmas season without SNOW!!!! Thankfully, we got a nice spread right before Christmas.

The children suited up and made their way outside for some sledding and snowman building.

I was happy to remain inside brewing hot chocolate, and popping popcorn for their movie night.

This was our family on Christmas Eve at Mass! What an adventure! (Let’s just say that Miss Missy found everything interesting and had to LOUDLY discuss it, while Mini Me reminded me several times about how tired she was, as she rolled around the pew kneelers…..good times….) Our parish is very well attended and expected Christmas Eve Mass to be no different. The Mass was beautiful, and was so special to our family as our nephew, and godson, was selected to play the part of the little drummer boy and announce the birth of the King. He led the procession into the church with this little drum, while the choir sang “The little drummer boy”. The priest processed in with a young baby, reminding the congregation of the child Jesus who was born that night. This 4pm Mass is the children’s Mass and father prepared a great homily about the humble beginnings of our great King. He reminded all the children of the joy of the season and all the parents of the need to protect the sanctity of life at all stages.

After dinner, we spent the night decorating our Christmas tree:

DDD got his name pulled from the hat this year to put the angel on top of the tree.

He was pretty excited. …

While the hubs and I put on the Christmas lights, the children watched “Its A Wonderful Life” with hot chocolate. Then…it was their turn to add a few ornaments before heading off to bed. They always wake up Christmas morning to a decorated tree that the hubs and I finish while they sleep.

Christmas morning is a blur. I was up pretty late with the hubs exchanging our presents to each other and wrapping a few leftover presents for the kiddos. We decided last year, that we liked the idea of giving each child their own “pile” of Christmas presents with their own unique wrapping paper. We then lay each child’s personalized stocking on the top of their pile. ( I wish I had a picture but delirium set in….)

This is just about the only picture I have from Christmas morning. It was crazy!!! Tons of screaming, and hugs…..=) As you can tell, Miss Missy had to put most of her presents on or to good use.

The hubs and I went right to work….he was replacing batteries and building toys and I was creating a delicious Christmas dinner.

The majority of our days/nights of Christmas were spent like this:

This is pretty much how my daughter spent her Christmas season….wearing reindeer antlers; playing christmas carols on the piano and hanging out in her pajamas.

Christmas pajamas; antlers and our homemade Christmas CDs on repeat!!!

Miss Missy let her brother tape a red ball to her nose to make her Rudolph.

Plenty of time for cuddling…

goofing around…..

and loving new toys!

Thanks to an American girl outfit the Fashionista is set for a while! She is having visions of tea parties and fairy adventures!!!

Some funky glasses and a new fake hairpiece made Ms. Sweet Pea’s Christmas quite exciting!!!

DDD was ecstatic to get new “grown up” tools for Christmas. Luckily, we had plenty of use for his tools when it came to assembling his little sisters’ new kitchen. He did such a great job!

Christmas will be running strong for us til the feast of the epiphany. As we gaze at our christmas tree each night, we rejoice in the joy that this season brings our family.

God’s blessings on each one of you!

Tammi