December 27, 2011
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Christmas 2011
This has to be one of the most laid-back Christmases (is that a word?) we have ever had.
We didn’t travel anywhere, for one. We didn’t have a lot going on…just our own little cozy family Christmas on Saturday and then hanging out at my Mom and Dad’s on Sunday.
It was good. Real good.
The kids had off school starting on Friday.
That morning we made sugar cookies and decorated them.
I have a hard time getting the kids to be serious for photos these days!
Except, of course, if they don’t know I am taking a picture and they are all into their decorating.
Is there anyone else out there who lets their kids make sugar cookies and then thinks “How are we ever possibly going to eat these?” After they have rolled them out many, many times and touched them all over with their hands. And, at one point, I kid you not, I caught Kendall STANDING on his little pile of cookie dough. That was going to be his method of flattening it. I put a quick stop to that, but really? Jeremy and I often say we should keep a book of sentences we never thought we would say. I am pretty sure I could add “Stop stepping on the cookie dough” to that list.
That purple icing tasted SO disgusting. I used too much of the food coloring stuff.
Saturday was a super lazy day. Jeremy and I talked about later that it just may have been the least work he has done (except for on some Sundays) in YEARS. Literally. It was so nice to just hang out and chill together.
In the evening, we had a snack-y kind of supper and a birthday cake for Jesus.
They are in the midst of singing “Happy Birthday, dear Jesus” on this picture.
Why is Kendall not wearing a shirt? Great question. Later, we made him put on one. Do we really need ALL of our Christmas pictures from 2011 being an exhibition of “shirtless Kendall”?
And then…drum roll…the much anticipated time had arrived. Gift opening time!! Turns out, Derrick is the most patient person in our family. All along, we had said Saturday after supper would be gift opening time for our family. But, as the day wore on, I was totally pushing for opening them earlier…seeings we didn’t have much else going on. Yeah, I get impatient like that. Derrick was the only one holding back, so we called a quick little family meeting and the compromise was 5 PM as our “present opening time.” But if it wasn’t for Derrick, we would have totally opened them at 2 PM.
I made them all sit in a row on the couch and take a “nice” picture. No weird faces allowed. They were pretty cooperative, since as soon as we took the picture, the gift opening could begin. I feel like I should have used that situation a little more to my advantage…maybe to request a few other things while I was at it. “Nicole, you clean the table off every day for the next month. Derrick, you empty the dishwasher and Kendall, you load it.” “Ok, Mom.” Done deal. Bummer! Guess I missed an opportunity there.
We played a little dice rolling game to make the gift opening more drawn out. That was a fun way to open the gifts.
Kendall got a pillow pet from Aunt Molly.
Derrick got a book.
My handsome husband.
What was inside of this box? An I-pad that I scrounged together the money to buy. He was absolutely delighted!!
Yay! Roller blades and accesories for her doll Sophie. (From Aunt Molly)
There were gifts from Jeremy and I and gifts from Grandpa Wayne and Grama Betty. The kids were delighted with their gifts.
I had gotten an early Christmas present from Jeremy (remember? The I-phone.) and then he also got me a programmable coffee maker. I am loving it…and spiraling downwards toward the coffee addiction, I am afraid!
Sunday morning we had snacks at church instead of Sunday school and then had a Christmas sermon and songs. It was good.
The rest of the day was spent at my parents. Just hanging out. My family doesn’t do any gift exchange or anything, so it didn’t feel as much like Christmas. But being together is always good. We missed Lynette and Paul, we are gone to Grenada right now.
Not everyone made it for lunch.
Such a cute picture of Kendall and his cousin Sherra. (Debbie’s little girl)
Debbie with Sherra. (Debbie is due with baby #2 in about 2 or 3 weeks)
Yours truly.
This is one of the best picture I have ever seen of my Dad. It is so natural looking. I really love and look up to my Dad.
My parents and I.
Debbie got all of the nieces and nephews t-shirts with special iron-on pictures on them. They were really happy with their gifts!
The main meal of the day. Jeremy smoked a ham on our pellet grill. It was delish! Mom had turkey besides and stuffed and mashed potatoes and fruit and Christmas salad and dessert, etc. It was SO much good food!
And then Monday it was back to work. I woke up with this kind of sick feeling in my stomach that I sometimes get when something I was looking forward to a long time is now over with and life is back to “normal.” But its all OK.
I have so incredibly much to be thankful for. I was just thinking about that today. A lot.
One of the biggest things I am thankful for are my friends. I feel so extremely blessed with many great friendships.
I have this thing in our hallway where I keep the pictures I get over Christmas time. I just get this happy feeling when I think about this wall and all that it represents.
Family and friends from near and far. Can you find your picture? (if you sent one, that is)
Relationships are really what life is about. With God and with other people. And I feel blessed to have you as a friend!
Comments (6)
I proudly present to you… the first comment!
Of course, by the time I get done writing this, someone else will probably have beat me to it. Anyway, your Christmas sounded so much like ours! I guess we found out that we can still have a good time even if we didn’t get together, huh? We had a relaxing day on Saturday, had supper, took pictures of the children, then opened gifts, and I even was making comments about how I should be using the gift opening thing to my advantage - getting some work out of the children first. 
On Sunday, our church also skipped Sunday School, Bruce did a ham on the grill, and we spent the rest of the day with our families. So see how many similarities there were?! 
It was a very good Christmas, but we did miss you all. I like how you displayed your photos!
your laid-back Christmas sounds so blissful to me. having just lived thru the whole weekend of going to the in-laws non-stop. i told my husband that we must NOT do this again. it left us no time for our little family and us. anyhow. your Christmas really does sounds great! and, i am Im-PRESSED that you got Jeremy an iPad!! i must not let my husband see this post; he’ll be SO jealous! ;O)
ah…and yep, i spotted myself on your wall of fame. yours hangs on mine too! i LOVE this time of the year when we hear from all those we care about…and, having pictures of those people means A LOT to me.
happy Tuesday Audrey!!!
one of my unfinished posts is about sentences i never thought i’d say. so…i’d love to hear more of yours
”stop stepping on cookie dough” isn’t one that i’ve needed…yet. that’s hysterical!
after years of running all over to “do” Christmas, we now have it At Home on The Day. and i LOVE it. we all do. and i loved this fun peek into your family, traditions and celebrations too. and btw, don’t think that becoming addicted to coffee is “spiraling downward.” nono. it’s awesome!
it’s way bigger than just a hot beverage. and i’m not talking about the caffeine either. it’s a comfort thing. and a warm fuzzy. and one of the best ways to talk with friends is “over coffee.”
all of the pictures this time of year ARE so much fun! and meaningful too. i like seeing my friends “in my house” and i’m smiling seeing my spot in yours!
I would love to see your list of sentences you never thought you’d need to say! So funny! And a laidback Chrismas is just the best kind. I kid you not my favorite Christmas ever is the one where we were just at home with just us the entire time. Yes, it’s fun to be together, but I never feel as though I really see my children. Like the really, really seeing kind.
An iPad? Go YOU!!!!!!
Nikki looks older on the picture of them on the couch before opening their gifts. Is her hair getting longer?
Your actually gettin hooked on coffee????;)…ok so now we need to meet up at the coffee shop in Hayward some day!!
looks like a great christmas! i love you in red.
just a fun reminder of some awesome ladies~ 
that’s a great idea to display your cards – -
i couldn’t figure out what to do w/ all mine this year as i ran out of room on my little card holder.
i’ll have to remember that for next year. i think i’ll put them down the side of my fridge now though.
i do like seeing my friend’s faces and having them in my home!
echoing too that want to see your list of sentences. and i find myself drinking coffee {like real coffee from a pot}
more and more, when at someone’s house, etc. i think i’m getting old and need that extra boost of energy. ha. i can see us all now hovering round the coffee pot at ffe. meet ya there each morning, k? 
happy new year dear~