Sometimes I can't get over how quickly Christmas comes and goes. After all the anticipation, I love to look through the pictures and remember how fun it was. And this year was a good one!
It was just our little family for Christmas Eve. We tried to make it as magical and special as we could. Driving around looking at lights, exchanging our own secret santa gifts. I had Hinder's name and surprised him with four lizard toys. Ledger and Vyla had each other. Riley got me some thermal socks.
Hinder had Riley's name. He shopped around a little bit before deciding on a Star Wars Lego toy. Riley and Hinder love to build with legos together. Hinder saved that gift in his pajama drawer for a couple of weeks before the big reveal. It was hard for him to keep it a secret, and it slipped out of his mouth at the breakfast table a few days early. But it doesn't matter. It was pure Christmas joy to watch him give a gift in love.
Instead of gingerbread houses (this mom procrastinated getting a gingerbread kit until the 23rd... and there were none to be found in the stores) we made giant gingerbread man. That was more fun anyway. The kids decorated with candy and spread frosting and had a ball.
My favorite part of this Christmas was our little nativity play, reading Luke 2, and singing Christmas songs together. Then we had a family talent show, a long-time tradition I enjoyed as a Killian kid. Hinder showed off his tumbling by doing flips on the couch, Vyla showed off her dance moves, I played a little flute, and Riley taught us how to make amazing paper snowflakes.
The kiddos were tucked into their beds and Santa was free to come!
It was so fun having a real fireplace to hang and stockings on this year!
Santa wasn't the only anticipated visitor. My mother-in-law, Lorie, arrived by plane and bus Christmas eve night around 10 p.m. It was so wonderful to have her here. The kids loved to have grandma all to themselves, and it was so fun to have a little family to round out our celebrations.
The kids were happy as clams the next morning. The Spirit of Christmas was alive and well at our house.
Thank you to everyone who gifted our kids with such thoughtful, fun gifts. They have enjoyed them many times. We felt your love despite the miles!
The rest of the day we spent hanging out together, playing with presents, playing lots of Sorry and Sponge Bob Rummy. Riley's sister Mallory put together a DVD of all our their past Christmas morning footage. That was a serious highlight, even for me. I loved seeing Riley as a little boy and watching how similar Hinder to him.
It was such a glorious day, filled with feelings of love and peace and joy. Merry Christmas!
A few days after Christmas, Riley's Aunt Gretchin came to visit. We love her visits! She played lots of Sorry and cards with us and stayed for late night pancakes. We treasure every time we get to see her, because we know it won't last forever!
Every year for Christmas, rather than just hand us cash for our gift, my dad comes up with a fun way to shop. Last year, we played a game in the mall where we had 30 minutes to buy something for our spouse. This year, we each had to guess what our spouse would buy with their Christmas money and the couple that guessed the closest won. Riley and I were FAR from winning, but we had a fun time going on a rare shopping trip together anyway. I knew exactly what I wanted- books from Longfellow Books and new shoes. I had a few bucks left and got a pair of clearanced sunglasses just for fun.
Riley was so indecisive. We walked through a lot of stores in the mall before he found something he could settle on. A portable blue tooth speaker. I did not guess that.
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