Christmas Day

Christmas Day started at 7:30am, much too early for me. There was no fancy breakfast like we usually make as there was so much company this weekend, Mamma took the morning off. We lit our last Advent candle and finished our advent readings. We found a wonderful Advent devotional online that we all enjoyed greatly this year.

   

Before stockings were open, I made the remark that we needed Christmas music and so Daniel pulled out his fiddle and serenaded us with Jingle Bells, Adeste Fideles and The First Noel. Thank you Danny!

 

After stockings, which are usually one small gift and some fruit and candy, Jessica handed out gifts one at a time to the children. Elijah was a bear. His overstimulation from the night before reared it’s ugly head and he was mad at the world, lol! Like I said in yesterdays post, he was only up for about an hour and a half.

 

Here is Elijah in all his glory that morning, poor thing.

 

Waiting patiently for a gift. The older children all gave gifts to each other that they either made or bought at the dollar store.

 

We gift practically!

 

Grumpy little boy bringing a gift for Mamma to help him open.

 

The aftermath

 

Grandpa bought the boys Winchester knife sets. These boys have more knives in their room than I have in my kitchen. 

 

Michael’s gift cards, once again, good idea Grandpa!

 

Pockets!

Christmas Evening was another dinner with family. Paul’s brother, two nieces, mother & father joined us for dinner. We feasted on baked ham, broccoli casserole, sweet potatoes, fruit salad and buns. I have heard for 17+ years about his mothers sweet potatoes, never could I come close to duplicating them. Well, we had them last night and he was right, they were to die for. She also made the broccoli casserole and after having that before, it will become a regular around here.

My favorite gift.

My son Daniel spent an afternoon hand-making this candle holder on his father’s lathe…just for me ;)

And to add to the blessings of the day, as I was resting in the big chair, the baby, for the first time, made his presence known as I felt his wriggles for several minutes.

Merry Christmas!

“Then the eyes of the blind will be opened

And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

Then the lame will leap like a deer,

And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.

For waters will break forth in the wilderness

And streams in the Arabah.

The scorched land will become a pool

And the thirsty ground springs of water;

In the haunt of jackals, its resting place,

Grass becomes reeds and rushes.” Is 35:5-7

Christmas Eve

 

Every year the children get up and ask to open just *one* gift on Christmas Eve. Daddy always says no and the bribing and pestering begins.

 

Daddy was given a blanket to warm himself and then he asked for a shoulder massage….then coffee….then BREAKFAST…then a FOOT rub. And the worst part is they DID it all! That stinker!

 

 

The children all rejoiced when they *won* and opened a  gift…I think Daddy won…not them.

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Christmas Eve Night

Christmas Eve night my side of the family came over. We only do white elephant gifts(good ones) and play the game with the children then the adults. We stopped drawing names for each other as the cost was just not do-able. Dad and Mom still bring gifts for all us children and their grandchildren.

       

Our family photo on my camera. I am hoping my siblings may have a couple better ones!

 

This year we tried something new. We had a baked potato feed, salads, cheesy bread and veggies. I think it went quite well and clean up was a cinch.

 

Emily and Ali played another beautiful carol for us, Jessica played O Holy Night, Jacob Carol of the Bells and Danny played O Come All Ye Faithful with Emily.

 

 

 

 

Micah received a headlamp that morning and never took it off all day, it was so cute. Now he can go out in the dark woodshed to help the big boys fetch wood.

  

Gracie got a Bitty Baby from Grandma. It has two arms! Her old dolly has been one armed for months ;)

    

This was the neatest gift. Ali, Jessie’s cousin and best friend, built a jump with her Daddy for Angel and Jessica to work with. Jess has used everything from sticks and small logs to jump over and now she has the real thing! Christmas Eve came to a close around 9:30pm and the house was cleaned and children tucked in by 10:30. It is SO much easier when it is at our home!!  Elijah is pretty over stimulated. After waking this morning all he could do was whine and cry so we fed him breaky and put him right back to bed. He slept until 12:30! He is a much more enjoyable boy now. ;)

Here we go a caroling..

Tuesday night- Every year our little neighborhood celebrates Christmas by gathering at Mrs. F’s home, singing carols then eating our hearts out, it is always a hoot.  

We all visited for a while then gathered around, passed out the song sheets and all sang carols. Mrs. VB and Gracie accompanied us on the piano.

 

We have the sweet blessing of all our close neighbors are fellow believers in Christ, so we all celebrate Christmas rejoicing in the birth of Christ.

 

After the singing comes the food. I took this picture after everyone had eaten, we had a plethora of food, Mrs. F and Mrs. VB are of Dutch decent ;) and boy can they put out a spread! Hot chocolate, brewed apple cider, bars, dips, veggies, deviled eggs, cupcakes, breads, meat stuffed buns….yum.

 

We stayed until 10:30 then packed it up and drove a half a block home. Thank you everyone for all the memories!! We missed you Johnstons!

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Wednesday – Affordable fresh green veggies are hard to find in the winter and I try to not spend over $2lb. The Green Barn had fresh brussels sprouts for sale for 1.09lb the last two weeks.  Our family is weird, we looooove brussels sprouts. I told Dave(the Green Barn guy) that I was going to come back and get about 20lb to put in the freezer. He said if I bought a 25lb box I could have them for .58lb!

 

So we trimmed, blanched and froze 6 full ziploc bags full and I’d like to do one more box ;)

Silly Boy

Hokey pete, where has the time gone? My little man will be two in less than three months. He is a babbler, which is the most aDORable thing. Some children are quiet, some in between and Elijah...well..he doesn't care that no one understands him, he will still talk your ear off in the most adorable baby chatter nonesense.

As of late, he discovered his pockets and walks around the house with his hands in them. I can't help it, everything about this child is adorable, I LOVE this age. He is such a little man! He loves HotWheels and trucks, but he loves his baby dolls, too. He sweetly cuddles Gracies baby dolls and holds them on his lap, gives them open mouth kisses(as he has yet to learn to *pucker*) and hugs them.

He recently found a belly button(!) on his tummy and since he thinks this is a rather startling new discovery, he needs to let EVERYone know as he walks with his shirt tucked under his chin with a chubby finger on his *button* until Mamma asks him to lower his shirt. He really is quite proud.

Blurry, but a cute photo. I rarely catch him in a belly laugh.

His brothers have taught him well how to wrestle.



And Gracie...well, Gracie has taught him how to handle three Ritz crackers at once. I will hand him one and he will say "uh...uh...uh" until I give him another in his other hand. Then he will say "uh...uh...uh" and open his mouth wide until I stuff another cracker in his third *hand*.  He is such a joy!

The Week Before Christmas...

Ahhh, the week before Christmas. A week is filled with daily festive activities, caroling, home organization, Advent readings, wrappings, *holly berry* candles, toddlers opening presents prematurely, ornaments tucked in hiding spots around the house, Christmas cookies, questions of angels, magi & Christ. This weekend we offered to celebrate Christmas at our house with my family on Christmas Eve, then Paul asked what I thought about having his family over on Christmas Day for dinner. I LOVED the idea. No, I haven't lost my mind, it really does sound like fun to me. It just so happens this year that Paul's father, mother, brother, nieces and his uncle will all be able to make it! His family has been rather scattered across Washington and Alaska so this has never worked in the past, we are sooooo excited and it is such a blessing to him. 

The kids are rather irked that we are not on Christmas break from school. They *know* the school children out there are! I'd rather keep them busy this week and maaaybe take all of next week off.    

Paul and the kids taking a Sunday afternoon snooze.

Only one of these pranksters isn't pretending, can you guess who?

Washing the Cookies

Jessie was making chocolate chip cookies this afternoon and no matter how hard I watch, someone snitches cookies. Daddy walked into the kitchen nook(old dining room) and found Gracie peering so innocently, and closely, at the cookies. 

A cookie was soon accidentally flipped onto the table and she carefully bent down and started licking it.

It was at that time Daddy stepped into the kitchen, startling the poor culprit. He asked her "Gracie, what do you think you are doing?" and she matter-of-factly looked up at him and said "I'm washing the cookies for you Daddy!" No, my children don't lie.

Worth 4 min of your time...

We often listen to KWPZ in December because they play only Christmas music for the month. I am not a big music lover, but I loved this rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas. O.k., I was rolling, now the children turn it up, just for me, when it comes on. You MUST take 4 minutes and hear these guys, they are so talented. Paul and I were the only ones who *got* the ending of the song that involves the band Toto's Africa....odd's are, you will too ;)

I looked these guys up online and wouldn't mind picking up a couple of their CD's, and that is a rare for me. I think the last CD I bought was Andy Griffiths Hymns, lol, several years back. Hey, I love that old man, I own every one of his albums now. 

Shopping..

my worst enemy. I somehow wasn't given that womanly gene upon my conception that makes a woman enjoy crowds, spending money and trying on clothes.  Never have, never will. Tonight Paul and I spent three and a half hours of shopping in B-ham, the only enjoyable part(highly, I might add) is that my Beloved always took my hand as we walked around.  That was worth the crowds, the lack of good deals and the cold rain. He even took me to The Woods for my decaf latte toasted marshmallow, half the flavor...dreamy.

We did exceptionally well for our first of, usually, two nights out together. I spent the first part of the morning planning this years shopping to keep it economical and easy...it worked great. We had a hoot of a time playing with these new Nano Bug things? They are SO intriguing, so real, but we refrained from buying one. I want one in my stocking though! We came home to a clean house and the smell of popcorn in the air, what a blessing! That is a gift in itself to Daddy and Mamma! Thanks children! We will overlook the spat that took place because of that. ;)

On the baby front, tonight was the first night I was getting dressed up to go out and when I put on my favorite skirt there was this bump that I couldn't hide. I little bump, but a bump nonetheless, and I couldn't suck it in. I tried, but to no avail.. I went for my first appointment with my new midwife, Ann, this last Tuesday. I was really bummed when she couldn't find the heartbeat. At 12 weeks it should be easy to find, but I'll have to wait until Jan now. And no, I am not concerned, neither is my midwife, I still feel yucky and am obviously growing.  

Isn't it cute? I enter my second trimester later this week!