Christmas 2010

We had a wonderful Christmas, filled with good family and friends. It is so nice to live so close to my parents, my brother, and a few of my cousins so that we don't have traveling to do around the holidays. We did Christmas Eve at our house last year, so this year we had it at my cousin's house and it was so nice! The kids all really enjoy playing together and it's great to have us all together.

On Christmas Eve we went to my cousin's house and celebrated with pizza and lots of fun games. My cousin's boys had already opened some of their gifts and all three of them each got a game. We all really enjoyed sitting around together playing their games. They got Clue, Break the Ice, and Elefun. Clue and Break the Ice are games that I played as a kid, but Elefun was new to me.

Aiden loved playing with and watching the train set that Jacob had. He sat there for a long time just watching it go round and round. He has had a train set at home that he got for his birthday, but it was one where he had to push the train himself. This one, was an automatic train. So it went around by itself. (Luckily, Santa already had a motorized train coming for him).

It is really great that my cousin and I have kids who are close in age. Jenny (5) and her son Matthew (6) play really well together, and so do Aiden (2) and her son Jacob (3). Her oldest son, Andrew (9), gets to hang out with the adults since all the other kids are so much younger than him. I think he likes that better anyway. :)

After going to my cousins house, we came home and Jenny and I baked a quick batch of Santa cookies. She and Aiden put a few cookies and a glass of milk out on the table for Santa to snack on later. Then we quickly read "The Night Before Christmas" and a few verses from the Bible in Luke 2. After that, Jenny and Aiden went to bed. They were really excited about Santa coming so it took them a while to fall asleep. Once they fell asleep, Jaime and I got their Santa stuff ready.

I don't know how Santa does it at your house, but here he always brings everything already opened and ready to play with. So Jaime and I opened and put together everything and installed the necessary batteries. Getting the Santa stuff ready is so much fun! This year I bought all their stuff before December so there were a lot of things that I forgot I even bought. I always get so excited thinking about their reactions in the morning when they see all their new stuff!

Aiden's Thomas train set,  Handy Manny toolbox, and remote control car.

Aiden's monkey Pillow Pet, Woody doll, Cars slippers, Vtech Baby game, and Mr. Potato Head

Jenny's Spongebob Vtech game, iSpy Puzzle, Cootie game, Trouble game, and lady bug Pillow Pet

Jenny's iCarly playset, Vtech computer, cupcake slippers, remote control car, and Vtech Kiddizoom camera

On Christmas Day, Jaime and I woke up early and then woke up the kids. When I was a kid I remember always waking up real early on Christmas Day and being so excited, but with Aiden and Jenny, I always have to wake them up and remind them that Santa came. Haha! They were both very pleased with what Santa brought them. I think Aiden's favorite was his Thomas train set (duh!) and Jenny's favortie was her Vtech Kiddizoom camera. They spent all morning playing with their things before breakfast. For breakfast I made a breakfast casserole and waffles.

Later that afternoon, it started snowing! At first it was coming down pretty lightly and it wasn't sticking to anything.  We went to my cousin's house  for Christmas dinner and the food was great! We had ham, corn, green beans, homemade mashed potatoes, mac n' cheese, and biscuits. I also made a Butterfinger cake for dessert (yummy!). The kids played some more, and a few of the adults played Clue with Andrew. While we were there, the snow really started coming down harder and before we knew it, the ground was covered in about and inch of snow! Of course, all the kids (and the "big kids") headed outside to play in it. We had a snowball fight, and poor Jaime really got ganged up on! It was all in fun though. ;)

Since it was snowing and we were afraid the roads might start to freeze over, we went to my mom's house to do our family gift exchange. After that, Jaime, the kids, and I all went home and spent the rest of the night playing with the stuff Santa brought. Jenny got some games from Santa and Uncle Billy that she really likes. We played those most of the night. Aiden was even able to play one of them with us.

Today we've spent all day in our pajamas still playing with Santa stuff. Tonight some of Jaime's friends are coming over and we're gonna eat and have a little game night. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, we definitely did!!

Christmas Cookies

Yesterday we had the oppertunity to do a little Christmas cookie baking and decorating. It all started in the morning, when my cousin brought her sons over for me to watch while she went to the doctor. Since there were going to be 5 kids in our apartment, I thought it best to do something that would be fun, but still keep them busy at the same time. So, we decorated cookies!

I just bought some of the pre-cut cookie dough and some icing and sprinkles to decorate them with. I baked them, and then we all sat down to decorate. Here are a few pictures from the decorating....

Aiden wasn't really into decorating the cookies, he just wanted to eat them. =)

The finished products.

That same afternoon, Jenny had a friend spend the night. It was the first time she has ever had a friend spend the night, and she was very excited. So, of course, we baked more cookies! This time we did the peanut butter cookie with the chocolate Hershey Kiss center. They were a lot of fun to make, and turned out really well!

The finished product. These were so easy to make!

We are also going to make a few crafts this week and of course we'll have to bake cookies for Santa Friday night! I hope you're enjoying your week of Christmas!!



Visit with Santa

Today, Jaime and I took the kids to the mall to see Santa. Last year went really well and I was really hoping this year would be the same. We have been talking with Aiden about Santa for weeks now trying to prepare him and get him to understand Santa Claus. So I was really thinking that he would do well, especially after the AMAZING picture he and Jenny took last year. Here is last year's....

Last year's isn't perfect, but they both look happy! This year's isn't as good. Here is this year's....

Not too bad. Jenny looks good. Aiden on the other hand, he could use a smile on his face. He isn't crying, but he was NOT about to smile either. The poor people taking pictures, I had them take multiple pictures to try and get one with him smiling, but he was determined not to smile.

I really thought he would do better. He was very excited to see Santa, and had even told me he was going to ask Santa for a Pillow Pet. We had their lists ready to give to Santa and everything. Obviously he got a little nervous once it was his turn. :) Hopefully he'll do better next year!



Special Messages from Santa

Aiden's Video


Jenny's Video

Edward, the Elf

I'd like to introduce you all to Edward.

Edward is our Elf on the Shelf.

Santa sent him to our house to keep an eye on Aiden and Jenny. He stays at our house and watches them all day. Then, at night, he flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa if they have been good or bad.

He came with a book, that I read to the kids on the day he arrived at our house. In the book it tells you that he has Christmas Magic, but it doesn't start until you give him a name. We named him Edward, after Aiden's Great Grandfather. Jenny thinks he is named Edward after the Edward in Twilight. Haha!

The elf also explains, in his book, that he likes to play games. His favorite game to play is very similar to Hide n' Seek. Every morning after he returns to our house from the North Pole, he hides in a different place. So, when the kids wake up in the mornings, they have to find him. At our house Edward has hidden on a shelf, on the baker's rack in our dining room, on top of the fish tank, on top of a bookshelf, and today he is on top of the fridge. Next week, when Jenny's here, I'm sure he'll hide in places where he is more difficult to find. But, since it's only Aiden here this week, he is hiding in more obvious places so that Aiden can find him easily.

Edward only has one rule. Children aren't allowed to touch him. If a child touches him, all of his Christmas Magic will go away and he won't be able to fly to the North Pole to talk to Santa. If he doesn't talk to Santa, Santa won't know what to bring the kids for Christmas and they won't get anything. I was thinking that Aiden and Jenny would try to be sneaky and touch him when I wasn't looking, but so far they haven't. They both seem very convinced that touching him will make his Christmas Magic dissappear!

So far Edward has really been a joy to have around the house. Aiden and Jenny have been better behaved, Aiden has been listening to Jaime and I better, and it has really given Aiden something to look forward to in the mornings when he looks for him. It is also really cute to watch Aiden talk to him. I can imagine that Santa has been getting some really good reports about Aiden and Jenny lately. Even Aiden, who I didn't think would understand, has been good lately. All I have to do is tell him that Edward is watching, and he straightens up (most of the time). Edward will return home to the North Pole on Christmas Eve with Santa. Too bad Edward couldn't stay year round! =)

My Crazy Kids

I love my kids, but I do think they're a bit crazy.  ;) Oh, and they are totally breaking the "don't jump on the bed" rule. Which you all know makes me mother of the year. Haha!

Things You Never Forget

There are certain times of the year that your mind becomes filled with special memories from years gone by. The Christmas season is most definitely one of those times for me. Every year, when we are getting out our tree and ornaments, all of those memories start coming back.

Growing up, one of my most favorite Christmas traditions in my house was one that my brother and I used to fight over all the time. It was one that had to be changed everyday. It didn't hang on the tree, nor did it have lights. What it did have, however, was a little gray mouse who knew exactly how many days were left until Christmas (so long as you moved him to the correct spot everyday).

I can remember waking up each morning in the month of December, and running downstairs to "move the mouse" before my brother was awake and had the chance to move it. Sometimes I got there first, and other times I didn't. We were probably supposed to take turns each day, but I was a kid, I didn't remember being told that then and I sure don't remember that now! Haha.

Now, all these years later, we use the Christmas Mouse Calendar with Aiden and Jenny. They love it too! This is the first year that Aiden has really cared about it, and he still doesn't understand it. He just likes moving the mouse because he sees Jenny do it. So, I make them take turns over who will get to move it everyday. For now, it seems to be working. Although, I know that one of these Christmas', they will fight over moving it the way my brother and I did.