It Was The Night Before Christmas & Christmas Day

This Christmas season have gone by so fast - maybe because we miss the first couple of weeks of December, and then it took us a little bit to get over jet-lag and then sickness hit (thank you bi-polar West Texas weather) and just so much have been going on.

I have been meaning to share some of our Christmas weekend, but a cold or the flu or something nasty hit me, and I barely made it through Christmas, and I have been couch bound ever since.

We decided to keep Christmas super simple this year as I was and still am sick, Nate had to focus on his final national test, and well everything just felt so out of place after being gone for three months.

We picked three Christmasy things that we wanted to do (the most fun traditions) and stuck to those activities, and then we continued with our regular Christmas Eve traditions - my favourite.

I have actually loved and enjoyed the simplicity of this year - I missed all the craziness that comes with fall and Thanksgiving, and then rolls right into Christmas - it have been a nice change of pace - and just spending time together have been so much more meaningful.

Our Christmas Eve in pictures....

We continued our tradition of decorating gingerbread houses - but this year I slept late and by the time we got it together to do we could only find one in all of this area.  So this year we made it a shared and combined house - and everyone helped to make it beautiful.

I am so surprised that it went to so well, no fights, and no tears - hello and yes to team work.

We spend the morning decorating this beauty - laughing, giggling and telling stories all in between.

It was so much fun.

Hayleigh did this side.

Ian did this side.

   We had our tradition Christmas Eve dinner - breakfast for dinner - in the past we have made all wintry and Christmasy shaped foods, but everyone always wants the berries, pancakes, and donut holes - so this year that is what we did! Yay, for no leftovers!

This have become one of my favourite things - it is easy, not to stressful and everyone loves it.

Hot Chocolate pancakes are always a hit.

  New Christmas pajamas and reindeer food, always bring a lot of joy.

  They fed the reindeer....

  We also went to see all the Christmas lights in town - I love all the twinkly lights!

This house makes me so happy!

 and the kids loved the light show down the street from our house.

 


We made sure Santa would have this favourite snacks....

  and then off to bed we went....

***

This Christmas was a little bit different - for everyone who knows us well - you know my kids get up so so so early - they always have and probably always will - we have just learned to become morning people and to adjust to it.

On Christmas morning I woke up and when I checked the time it was 07:00 am and everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) was still fast asleep.  It was some Christmas miracle or something, because I really needed the extra sleep.

I was able to get up - make some tea, turn on all the twinkly lights, and wait in the living room for the following cuteness...

Oh, they make my heart so happy!

Christmas with kids, is the best, it brings so much joy and excitement.

   We had a lovely and slow morning - sipping on our hot beverages and watching the kids open their gifts.

  watching their excitement, makes me so happy!

  A simple breakfast of cinnamon roll french toast, and a winter fruit salad hit the spot.

   and our annual Christmas jammie photo - this year we all decided to match - the kids thought it was the coolest thing ever!

  We spend the remainder of the morning playing with the kids and juts hanging out together before our company arrived for a Christmas lunch,

  We had Nate's parents, grandmothers, and aunt and uncle over for a Christmas lunch - in the past we have had our Christmas early due to Nate's schedule and then we would just go eat out with them - but since Nate was off on Christmas this year and we just wanted to be home we invited them over so none of them would have to be alone.

It was super simple and laid back....

 We had a roast, roasted rainbow potatoes, roasted carrots and turnip, and a butternut and brussel sprout salad with gravy.

  and a simple ginger cake for dessert...

  Christmas is and will always be my favourite holiday!!

We had such a fabulous day, and it makes me even more excited for the all our Christmas's in the years to come.

A little late, but rather late than never!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

xxx

  PS.  I could not have made this Christmas special without him - being sick is for the birds - and he sure knows how to pick up the slack!