7 posts tagged “festivities”
Pretty sure at this point Christmas is never going to end! On Thursday night we went to Ryan's mom, Judy's house for dinner and more gifts. She set up a "Wise man" hunt for the kids to do after dinner. To do this she turned off all the lights and gave each kid a flashlight to search for their Wiseman to bring them their gifts. Afterwards Jack made icecream milkshakes out of vanilla icecream and peppermint oreo's.
Last night we went to Holly and Charlies for burritos, margaritas and yes, more gifts! Dinner was yummy, Ryan started a fire and after gifts we played some games, including the never ending 10,000. Of course Holly won and the rest of us whinned like babies. The babies had fun terrorizing the poor dogs, but Molly took it.
Tonight Maddy and Christian are gone to see the "Glory of Christmas" with Ryans mom. So with two down, we're thinking about going on a hot date. Dinner with only two kids is a date when there's usually four. Especially since the remaining two can't repeat the things we spell!
Tomorrow we're venturing to the snow in the local mountains. My sister called and said she has snow at home, pretty sure our snow here is nothing like her snow there! Stacey said they had a big storm blow into Seattle, jealous we don't have that kind of weather here. We'll see what we can find tomorrow.
Lets start with photos of Friday nights Christmas dinner and gifts...with Ryan's dad, Enoch, Debra and sister, Amanda...Can't remember if I mentioned last last how Ethan Bug tried to sit in a box, but the box was too little, so he squeezed himself in it!
Next is the pictures from the cookie exchange on Sunday, as mentioned in earlier posts...
Next came Christmas Eve. We lounged around the house until 4 and then we got dressed up and went to Christmas Eve Service at Church for 30 minutes of Christmas carols and a quick message from the pastor.
It was my favorite one, the meaning of the candy cane. Then onto my parents house for dinner, music and gifts. My family is pretty obnoxious when it comes to jokes and opening the gifts, so it's always an amusing and interesting night.... The high light for me was my much desired Margarita machine!
The kids were so cute opening there goodies. We had alot of fun and I enjoyed having both of my siblings there!
Santa came bright and early to suburbia....bringing exactly what each kid asked for. The babies chased each other around the house on their atc's, while Maddy played restaurant and Christian played his new Wii games. My sister, mom and I made a huge southern breakfast and we ate and ate and ate... (anything to spoil Denice's diet!)
Then Christmas night, back over to Mom and Dads for round too.....The classic parts of the evening involved Dad....Number one being mom's new leash for Dad....photos tell best...
Second being when Dad opened the Espresso cups he apparently asked for. All of us kids were stunned...espresso cups? Dads hands are huge and expresso cups are so small, so needless to say we got great enjoyment out of teasing him for the remaining of the night about his masculinity...
Last, here's some of my favorites from the rest of Christmas night...like when Makenna opened a new outfit and decided she needed to strip down and change into it at that exact moment in time!
'Tis the season! It's been a few days because we've been so busy! To back up three days and answer my last post..... Our house is expecting again. Must be in the water!......... But, NO it's NOT me! It's Lady Julia, apparently she and the neighbors dog "JoJo" had a secret date and now we have one swollen Basset hound. Looks like she's do in February, just glad its her and not me this time!
Friday my office had our annual Christmas Lunch and gifts, which was really yummy. I had Cuca's cater, you know me and Mexican food. Then Friday night Ryan's dad, stepmom and sister Amanda came over and we did Chili and gifts. Again the food was fantastic as was the company and the gifts! After presents we played a mad game of Scene It Jr and as usualt the girls won! Pictures to follow later.
Saturday I baked my 6.5 dozen peanut butter cookies all day. Which was exhausting. While I was baking Ryan went to move Hol and Charlie into their new home. In the evening I took Hol a birthday cake, since she's a Christmas baby and we visited at there house along with some other friends from the past. There was another baby there, a 7 month old little girl and Ethan wasn't havin' that. He just stared at her like, "Um, excuse me I'm the baby around here."
Today we got up, enjoyed coffee and the newspaper together, made some toast and fried eggs and then I headed over to my mothers for a Christmas cookie exchange. It was so nice to be with just the girls and have a relaxing lunch and conversation. There was thirteen of us in all, My mom, Denice, Roxanne and I planned it together. We each invited 3 people and each person had to bring 6.5 dozen cookies to share. (It started out 12 dozen, but we did enough complaining and mom cut it in half) So needless to say at the end of the day I got to bring home 6 dozen cookies, all 6 dozen being different kinds. So at this point I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by cookies.......Ryan, Christian and Maddy just left to take a plate to the local fire house. Tonight my family's coming over for our usual Sunday night dinner. I'm doing tacos to make it easy!
Wow we got to get away for 2 dates this weekend. I love Christmas time, because it always forces us to get a sitter and go to a party! So Friday night we got dressed up for a party at the National Orange show.
I would be at the post office right now mailing them on my lunch hour, but, I drove Ryan's car and set the stupid e-brake in his car (as written in a earlier post), so needless to say I'm stranded at work all day and the cards are not being mailed until tomorrow.
This morning we had a Thanksgiving breakfast at our house. Ryan and I got up early, he made a fire while I made eggs, fried potato's, bacon, homemade salsa, sourdough toast and vanilla Carmel coffee. Nana and Papa came over and we enjoyed the meal and afterwards watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.
Next I made two cranberry apple casseroles (Ryan's grandmothers recipe) and a lemon raspberry cake with white chocolate shavings and fresh strawberries on top, to take to Willie and Anastasia's house for this afternoons festivities.
Then Ryan went to the store and picked up some flowers and a gored for me. Once he was home Maddy and I cut the flowers up and made a flower arrangement to give to Willie's mom as a thank-you for having us over today.
Lastly, before sitting down to write this post I walked around and asked each person in this clan what exactly they are each thankful for this year.
Christian is thankful for everything God has created in the whole world. Especially his family and friends. He said he feels he is very lucky.
Maddy is thankful for her school and the food we eat.
Ryan said he is thankful for the loving family we have created, as well as our families, friends and jobs we both enjoy.
I myself am thankful for so many thing that I could go on and on. So I will try and sum them up in a nut shell. I am thankful for my husband who is my best friend. I'm thankful that we talk about everything and enjoy everything in life together. I'm thankful for my family. My parents, brother and sister. I'm thankful that we're just as close as we were growing up. I'm thankful for each one of my children that God has blessed us with. For Christian who is my witty grown up boy, Maddy who is my little shy princess, Kenna who is my Minnie me with all her spunk and Ethan with his smile that makes my heart melt. I'm thankful that we're all healthy. I'm thankful for my in-laws, even though we may not be very close, I'm thankful they gave me Ryan. I'm thankful for their expressions when they come over and see how amazing the kids are. I'm thankful for my brother-n-law's and sister-n-law's and how when we're with any of them there is always laughter. I'm thankful for all of our friends and how we're friends with each of them for different reasons. I'm thankful for the path God has chosen for me.
Holiday thoughts:
Tree and decorations are going up this weekend, although lights will not be turned on until December 1st.
I have 7 gifts left to buy. What do you buy a two teenage boys? I don't wanna do gift cards.
My sister is coming for Christmas.....Its been 23 years since she was here for Christmas!
Basically every weekend is booked in the month of December. We have a party every weekend until the 25th.
I can't wait to bake for the holidays. Toffee will be first, then fudge for Ryan.
Our best friends are moving back here the 22nd, it will be the BEST Christmas present of all!
I'm in search of cute Christmas cards, any suggestions of where to look?
Need to find time to make the 3 homemade gifts I'm doing. I've been thinking about it for months, but haven't started.
I'm looking forward to drinking wossel and sitting next to the fire watching Christmas movies.
Makenna made a announcement that all she want's for Christmas is "Bubble gum".
MY COUNTDOWN:
3 days until day after shopping
10 days until I get a new winter hair color, not sure if I'm brave enough
18 days until the Christmas play and chocolate cake at church
32 days until Charlie and Holly move back
33 days until Denice and the boys arrive
34 days until we open presents
35 days until Santa comes...
2 Weeks ago four of the six of us were in Ryan's brothers Wedding. It was on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.
It was a long weekend, we really enjoyed the festivities and had a good time with Ryan's extended family. We had a great time visiting Uncle Terry, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Howard and JB.
Maddy was feeling under the weather (with 4 kids, one is always bound to get sick) but she was such a trooper. She was determined to wear her "princess dress" no matter what! And thats just what she looked like.
Makenna and Ethan hung out with Nana and Papa Goodman. Then once lunch was served Ethan wiped out and Kenna hit the dance floor with Grandpa Enoch.
