I ate so much junk food this holiday season it is ridiculous! I think I gained about 80 lbs. (only a slight exaggeration)! I did make the most delicious cookie dough ever for Santa's cookies. Mint and chocolate- two of my most favorite things! Don't you just want a big scoop?
The baby loves his "dada's" (cookies)...
On Christmas Adam (you know- the day before Christmas Eve) we went to some friends' house for dinner. Not just any friend- Jake's long lost cousin type of friend. This family moved to our area in the summer, and it turns out Jake's dad is cousins with Taunya's mom. So now we have family in the area!
Taunya is an awesome piano player and the girls wanted some Christmas songs.
We came home late that night and Little J thought it would be funny to put on Coley's pj's. It was all fun and games until someone (Jake) put the boy in a pink nightgown. I spared him the future embarrassment of pictures.
Christmas Eve morning donuts!
Sometimes my kids are just plain old cute...
With no family in town, we decided to spend Christmas Eve with some friends. We did a big yummy dinner, decorated gingerbread houses, and acted out the nativity. We had a great time!
Cole ate way way too much candy...
I'll let you decide which team decorated which house...
Christmas Eve means time for new pj's! I love this tradition and think my kids are so cute in their new jammies!
It was a rainy night so the reindeer food had to go in a bowl...
The stockings were hung by the chimney (or flat-screen TV) with care...
All nestled and snug (faking sleep) in their beds...
All nestled and snug (faking sleep) in their beds...
Elle lost a tooth on Christmas Eve day so Santa and the Tooth Fairy got to run into each other that night!
"Elfie" will be watching us next December!
Jake calls me the Christmas morning nazi because I make the kids wait until 7 a.m. to come out of their rooms. I personally have no desire to get up at the crack of dawn for presents and then deal with cranky kids all day. Nazi or not- I don't care. If it's not 7, you're not opening gifts!
Santa likes to bring donuts for the stockings for a snack during present opening.
Cameras!
Santa loaded Jake up with gum...
Elle made some beautiful wrapping paper for one of our gifts...
Elle's gift to Cole for our sibling exchange. The kids love it and Jake loves getting Cole manly stuff!
Pillow Pets!
Truck from Grammie and Papa!
New jackets!
The aftermath!
Last present- beanbag chairs from Grammie and Papa for the girls' new room decor!
Elle's gifts...
After gifts, we met up with some friends at a local nursing home and sang some carols. It was a fun way to spend time on Christmas day...
And Christmas day is always a good time to bust out the Halloween kitty shirt!
Jake made a fort out of the beanbag chair box...
And we ended the night by watching "Polar Express"...
"Elfie" will be watching us next December!
Jake calls me the Christmas morning nazi because I make the kids wait until 7 a.m. to come out of their rooms. I personally have no desire to get up at the crack of dawn for presents and then deal with cranky kids all day. Nazi or not- I don't care. If it's not 7, you're not opening gifts!
Santa likes to bring donuts for the stockings for a snack during present opening.
Cameras!
Santa loaded Jake up with gum...
Elle made some beautiful wrapping paper for one of our gifts...
Elle's gift to Cole for our sibling exchange. The kids love it and Jake loves getting Cole manly stuff!
Pillow Pets!
Truck from Grammie and Papa!
New jackets!
The aftermath!
Last present- beanbag chairs from Grammie and Papa for the girls' new room decor!
Elle's gifts...
After gifts, we met up with some friends at a local nursing home and sang some carols. It was a fun way to spend time on Christmas day...
And Christmas day is always a good time to bust out the Halloween kitty shirt!
Jake made a fort out of the beanbag chair box...
And we ended the night by watching "Polar Express"...
I love Christmas! Jake now has this whole week off of work so we are trying to find fun ways to spend our time. It's unusual for us to be in town around the holidays but we are enjoying spending time together!
