A Merry Little Christmas

Christmas 2012 was lovely. 

I am sad that we weren't with our extended families, but it sure was nice to celebrate just the five of us.  We are creating our own traditions and memories that will hopefully last for many years to come.

On Christmas Eve day, we went to the mall in what is fast becoming a tradition (three years in a row) and visited Santa Claus.

As you can see, Mike had to be in on the action, since Dylan wouldn't go within 5 feet of St. Nick unless Mike was there too.

We ate frozen yogurt and watched the ice skaters for a while.

Then I went home to prepare Christmas Eve dinner, and Mike took the kids to the park.

I baked and cooked all afternoon in peaceful, uninterrupted bliss.  I made candied chicken, Mike's favorite cheesy sour cream potatoes, homemade rolls and peppermint chocolate cupcakes for dessert.

I didn't even get a picture of our table, but it was pretty.

 After dinner, the children entertained us with some bee-utiful music while Mike cleaned up the kitchen.

Then we read "The Night Before Christmas", opened new Christmas pajamas, read/acted out the Christmas Story from Luke 2, sang songs and bedded down the kids.

They fell asleep right away... yay!

 Somehow or other, Santa came!  Mike and I had such fun prepping the living room for the magic in the morning.

Mike put together Dylan's new train set while I stuffed the stockings and did the strings for Kate and Dylan.

No string for Blake this year; next year for sure!

 During the night, we were surprised to hear loud claps of thunder outside, followed by a crazy thunderstorm.  Kate and Dylan dodged strings as they raced into our room and slept the rest of the night on the floor next to our bed.  It seemed so surreal to experience a thunderstorm on Christmas Eve.  But even through all that, we managed a decent night sleep until we couldn't wait any longer, and at 7:30 a.m. we went out to the living room.

 Then around noon, the drizzling rain gave way to SNOW!!  It was quite literally the perfect Christmas afternoon; snow outside, a roaring fire inside, pajamas all day, and the children happily playing with their new toys.  We enjoyed chatting with our families too.  It was a wonderful day.

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And now today, Mike is back at work (boo) and the kids are going a tad stir-crazy.

But the snow remains!  Dylan and Kate just got back inside so it's time for me to make hot chocolate and force them to clean up all their toys on the living room floor, which are starting to drive me bonkers.  Ahh, how the holidays come and go so quickly. :)

P.S.

I guess I should document that Kate got head-lice from someone at school.

YUCK to the zillionth degree!

She and seven other little girls and one boy in her class have it.

So our washer has been running with laundry for four days straight; I threw out all our pillows and sheets and replaced with new; and Mike and I take turns tediously removing nits from Kate's head.  Curse the school that doesn't require children with lice to stay home from school, thus infecting half of her class.

UGH.

So, as my sister Lisa said, we're having a white Christmas" in more ways than one.  YUCK!!!!!!