December Daily - Days 26 & 27

We headed up to Rainier to celebrate with Colin's family the day after Christmas. We ended up having 4 Christmases total and I'll be honest, I'm pretty tired as I type this. This Christmas was all about spending time with Tim and Barb and Goat, playing "Ticket to Ride", eating good food and just relaxing.

Yesterday (Day 27) we headed to Keizer for our 4th Christmas celebration. We spent time with Colin's extended family and always do an annual soup and break potluck. I took a picture of Grandma Mary and the great grandkids.  

Quotes:

At end of the evening after we were home, Jude and Sissy and I were in the bathroom, brushing our teeth.

Sissy: Look at my Uggs! (She just got a hand me down pair of boots)
Jude: You mean Uglies? Everything has to have a nickname, Mama. I mean even Boss nicknamed his wiener Steve.

I laughed pretty hard at that one.

December Daily - Day 25

Christmas day arrived and the Samuel and Jude were up at 6:15 after going to bed really late. Samuel agreed to make both Colin and I coffee, and we agreed to let them open stockings and one present, even though the littles weren't awake yet. The kids really had a great time opening gifts. We all just hung out, played games, Colin and Brandy cooked (I ran out of energy about a week ago) and played with gifts. I got a new camera body, which was an amazing gift. Colin got what he asked for - a fishing book, range finder for hunting and a knife sharpening tool. The kids got more gifts than they can count and every year we look at each other and say we overdid it. And then it happens again the next year :)

At the end of the evening I spotted Boss doing this - sitting in a box and playing with Jude's remote control car happily. What a weirdo! We cleaned periodically through the day and it still was this messy.

I had each kid pose by the tree with their favorite toy.

Christmas dinner prayer. We ate prochetta, mashed potatoes, rolls and spinach.

The tree was loaded with presents.

I love this photo. Sissy REALLY wanted a Frozen digital camera and here she is opening it from Santa.

She rode this scooter around the house all day long.

December Daily - Day 24

Christmas Eve! I spent the first part of the day sewing up the place mats for my grandma's gift and getting everyone ready for church. We missed our church service because we were running late, so we headed to my mom's church. We also missed that service due to horrendous traffic. Alas, 2 hours after leaving Clackamas, we arrived at my mom's house in Vancouver. I took many pictures so as not to forget the evening.

At the end of the evening, these boys were researching family geneology on the internet.

I had to capture a picture of all the chaos during present opening.

Photo bomb.

Our family picture.

Entire family outtake.

This is the best one we got for a family picture.

These girls LOVE being together.

The evening started with Joel chatting with Grandma.

My dad and Syndney.

My parents with all the grandkids (minus Sydney).

Joel and Ella.

Joel and I.

Joel and Sydney.

Joel's family.

I love this picture of these two.

The kids sang Jesus "Happy Birthday" and blew out the candles. Look at how much effort Boss put into it!

My dad and I.

It was a really great evening for everyone!

December Daily - Day 23

Yesterday was about family time.

We started the day in Sherwood doing a homeschool Christmas craft day. Then we had family over to do gingerbread house/gingerbread man decorating. It was so fun!

Boss showing off his work of art - basically he just piled as much candy on as he could.

Eden and Sissy worked on the house.

I loved all the chaos.

I love that we still have Sissy's Frozen "Happy Birthday" sign up that her cousin squealed in delight over when they arrived.

I even took a break from photos (Samuel took over) and decorated the roof next to my dad.

My mom needed to rest and elevate her leg, so she and Boss had some reading time.

I had Sissy help making the cilantro lime brown rice (in my pressure cooker - best recipe EVER) and my dad helped her squeeze the limes. He and I took some moments savoring the smell of fresh limes. I also made shredded pork verde and black beans, cilantro, etc. for a full taco bar. My dad did the dance of delight after eating and said, "Rosarita doesn't have anything on you!"

My dad's gingerbread man was impressive. It was something like a man holding a knife after he had just stabbed someone. He made it look like a criminal.

Samuel jumped in my lap and we snapped a pic - that kid must weigh almost as much as me.

Look at how intense Sissy is while decorating!

December Daily Day 22

Day 22 was about so many little and big things. Initially I thought I would just post about making gingerbread men, because I knew I had to make them for the following day, and that's the obvious thing to post for a December album, but at the end of the night as I lay in bed, I surely wasn't thinking about gingerbread men. A big and very amazing reconciliation happened and I spent time thinking about that and being grateful. It doesn't have to do with me, but it's good all the same. December is about being grateful.

Sissy fell on concrete last night and cut her chin open - she got her first set of (3) stitches in Urgent Care. Colin took her in immediately after the fall and since it was too late for a pediatric office visit and too early for Urgent Care, they waited for an hour and had a steamer.  Colin said she cried a lot, but actually talked to the male doctor. That's huge for her! Sissy doesn't usually go out of her way to talk to male strangers. She came home just as happy as could be.  She's growing up and changing so fast.

I went to my monthly girls' dinner out after Sissy was settled and we met up at Que Pasa. I came very late, pretty much just for the gift exchange and some conversation. It was a nice time together.

Here are the gingerbread men I made. I have to say I get pretty stressed at this point of the season, which Christmas just a couple of days away and a sewing project due tomorrow that still isn't finished. Sigh.

I love these moments. When Boss asks for a book and sometimes I can't stop and read at that moment, I have Samuel or Jude take over. They are really good brothers to him.

And here's something else new with Juliet: she likes looking at encyclopedias. Huh? She said she loves books and asks a million questions about the pictures. She's on the "D" book. I hope her love of books sticks. She sat next to me while I sewed and asked questions.

 I didn't get a good focus on her chin, but there are indeed three stitches. Brave girl. I love that she and Colin had that bonding time together at Urgent Care. He's a really amazing dad, that guy.