A Cup of Christmas Tea

What do you get a 2 month old for Christmas? Well, we weren't sure but we had to get her something because Cole kept asking what Santa was going to bring Lily. When we went to see Santa we let Cole ask him for something for Lily Kate. He quickly asked that she receive a tea set. I have no idea how he knew what a tea set was but he did and he asked for it. And luckily we found one and bought it. Once Cole had time to play with all of his new things he wanted to open Lily's new things. We let him open one toy to share with her and he, of course, chose the tea set. So, the day after Christmas we all sat down to have a nice cup of Christmas tea and tea cakes...courtesy of Santa!

Christmas 2010

What a fun Christmas this was! Cole was so into the whole experience which made it so much more fun for Rhonald and I. We have had gifts under the tree for weeks and Cole has been so good not to touch them. I wanted Santa's gifts to stand out so we wrapped them in different paper and placed them by the fireplace. Cole was so cute when he walked in to the living room that morning. He slowly walked over to his presents and just stared at them. We had to tell him it was ok to open them. He loved everything! We learned a big lesson this year...Christmas is very overwhelming for a child and maybe less is more! Cole would have been happy with a stocking and 2 gifts. I was shocked when he asked me to unwrap his last two presents! He simply wanted to play with each thing as he opened it and there was so much going on. Cole loved passing out the gifts and telling us who they were from. He helped open Lily Kate's gift and would comment on everything she got ("Oh she likes that mom!"). It was a perfect day! We stayed in our pj's all day, ate when we felt like it and played with all of our new things. It was so relaxing and wonderful to be home just the 4 of us.

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Putting out the Reindeer food before bed

Singing Jingle Bells by the fireplace

The boys favorite part of Christmas Eve dinner - the ho rs devours. Especially those that could be picked up with toothpicks!

Christmas cuddles from Mr. Jim

Last year we decided that we would no longer travel on Christmas. We wanted to start our own traditions here at home and allow Cole and Lily to enjoy the day in a relaxed way. Normally we spend Christmas with Rhonald's parents but his mom had to work and so they could not come up until the day after Christmas. We really wanted to make a traditional Christmas dinner so we invited Jim and Em and Ben over to share it with us. It was so much fun to catch up with them (Emily is pregnant and was not feeling so hot during her first trimester) and share the holiday with them. It was a lot of fun to see Cole and Ben play and take it all in....in their own way. During nap time Santa dropped off a few early presents for the boys and both of the babies (both born and unborn) and the boys loved that! I had decorated the table with traditional holiday "poppers" - one for everyone - however I think it ended up that Cole and Ben each had 3. They had these cute paper crowns in them that the boys wore around the house. They watched a Christmas movie and ran and ran and ran. Luckily Jim and Rhonald were the ones that Cole and Ben wanted to play with so Emily, Lily Kate and I hung out in the living room and talked. After they headed home we quickly sprinkled our reindeer food on the lawn, set out our cookies and milk and read Twas the Night Before Christmas. Cole likes that book so much and even remembered several parts of the poem. The one part that he always laughs like crazy at is when they say that Santa's belly shook like a bowl full of jelly! When I was tucking him that night he was full of questions....what if the reindeer get thirsty-we only left milk for Santa! What if they get lost? What is Santa forgets to fill his stocking? And on and on...until he finally fell fast asleep...

Smile!!!

Choo Choo...All Aboard!

One tradition that we started last Christmas was that we put together a gingerbread something...last year we made a house and this year we made a train. It is really a lot of fun if you haven't tried it. I have not gotten brave enough to make my own gingerbread yet - we stick with the premade kits...but it is fun all the same. Cole has been waiting to do this project for days....asking, begging and pleading...and finally we had time to sit down together and do it. Last year, when we were new at this, our house looked awful but this year we did rather well if I do say so myself. And we all did it together which was the main thing...and we all had a lot of fun. At one point we did catch Cole placing a candy on the train while also placing a candy in his mouth (well, a couple of times actually). We had to explain that if he ate all of the candy we wouldn't have any decorations. He gladly got back to decorating but kept asking when we could eat the whole train! Gotta love his persistance!

Woo Pig Sooie! Razorbacks!

I know one Little Hog Fan that is ready for the Sugar Bowl!!!

Cookie Decorating 101

Eden

Jacob and Katie (Cole is madly in love with Katie by the way-he says that one day, when they are big, they will get married and she will give him 2 babies. A brother and a sister.)


Cole, Lily Kate and Mommy

Jackson

Ben and Jacob

Audrie

Traditions...I love them! Cole and I have enjoyed decorating Christmas cookies together the past 2 Christmases. Each time we have made them he has been more fun and more involved. This year I thought it would be fun to include some friends in on the decorating and Cole loved the idea. One afternoon a couple of weeks ago we invited 7 of Cole's buddies over (and 2 of them had younger siblings...Lily Kate entertained her guests in the living room) to decorate cookies. We had sugar, frosting, sprinkles, m & m's, candy canes and juice boxes everywhere!!! The kids had an absolute blast, and so did the parents! We were very brave and let the kiddos do all of the decorating (except the frosting) on their own and then, of course, they all got to eat their cookies! After decorating they all ran in circles (literally) around the main level of our house - running off their sugar highs no doubt. When it was time to head home Cole passed out a bag of Reindeer food to everyone (another tradition we have grown to love) and said good bye. The party was so much fun and I am so excited to continue the tradition but the best part of the day was right before bedtime when Cole gave me a huge hug and said, "Thank you for the party mommy! You are the best!" Um...for that we can have a million cookie parties!!!