Christmas!

Since we aren't doing any long trips for Christmas anymore, and my parents went to England for Christmas, this ended up being our first Christmas at our own house alone. I was a little worried that we would be bored and lonely and that I'd be cooking way too much. BUT, we had a really wonderful time! We did some fun activities, the kids helped with a bunch of the cooking, we relaxed, we played games, and basically we did whatever we wanted to do when we wanted to do it. Ultimate flexibility! and none of the inevitable waiting around that comes with big group family activities (but of course, those have their great aspects too! :)).

Kevin had Thursday and Friday off work, so Thursday I headed out for a final trip to the grocery store. I had put it off until Thursday so I wouldn't have to drag along the kids, but I'll know for next year! Costco was a zoo with almost every parking space full, even back by the gas station. Walmart wasn't nearly as bad, except they were out of molasses (and had been all week!).

Friday was our fun day at home. We made our own playdough and used cookie cutters to make ornaments for next year. The girls had a really fun time. We also did all our preparations for Christmas Day food and had a yummy Christmas Eve steak dinner.
After dinner we read Christmas books, read and acted out our nativity play, and wrote a letter to Santa. Santa had requested, in an earlier phone call, chicken nuggets with his cookies so the girls were pretty excited to leave those out for him. They did a pretty good job going to bed, and then Kevin and I got to work!
Violet has been interested in Christmas coming, but Cora has been even more excited. She woke up at 3:30am and saw the stockings all filled. Kevin told her she had to wait until the clock said 7 before she could come down again. He said she came down 30 minutes later and said it was taking too long to get to 7! Luckily, the girls really aren't the type to open presents or snoop around by themselves. She finally went back to sleep and we start Christmas morning at a more reasonable 6:45am.
As per DeGiulio tradition, we did stockings, then breakfast (breakfast casserole and cinnamon pull-aparts), and then opening presents one at a time taking turns.

Luke and his stocking-- he was most fascinated by his new sippee and this jar of baby food chicken sticks.

Violet and her stocking-- a DVD of her beloved Mickey Mouse, Strawberry Shortcake dolls, and this amazingly huge cheese ball jar!

Cora and her stocking-- see a trend?? Strawberry Shortcake has been big at out house the last few months. I love that the movies really are for little girls (not tweeny at all), just fun and cute. And of course, it's fun that they are playing with characters I played with when I was little. (PS, this is the same cheese ball jar-- Santa brought it to the both of them)

Luke has so many toys, he didn't get much this year. He didn't seem to mind! He loved his new car, pop-up toy, and ball popper.

The big present for the girls-- scooters! I'm hoping this makes walks in our hilly neighborhood more pleasant. It's just tricky for two adults to help two kids on bikes up hills while pushing a stroller. Violet still has a little bit of practicing to do, but Cora got the hang of it right away (longer legs help I think). Right now our unfinished basement is a great scooter area.

After presents there was a lovely lull to the morning where everyone played with their new toys and just hung out.

We spent Christmas afternoon at my aunt's house with her family-- it was delicious and fun! I think that's what made Christmas not feel lonely. They were so kind to include us, and in the gifting too-- the girls loved another chance to open a cool present.

Christmas evening we read more Christmas stories and put three tired, tired kiddos into bed. Sunday was a recovery day for the kids, peacefulness intermixed with some overtired breakdowns. But the girls chilled and watch some Christmas movies in the afternoon while Kevin and I put away Christmas decorations. This week we have our carpets being cleaned, family coming, and preparations to go out of town next week, so there really was no other time, if I wanted Kevin to be able to help (essential!).

We've had a lovely Christmas season this year. It's been neat to see my kids understand more about the Christmas story and be so excited to act it out every day with figures or costumes. I've loved being a Primary teacher and teaching about Christ and the nativity story too. Our family has checked out what must have been a record of Christmas picture books and movies from the library and sung Christmas songs every night at bedtime and had Christmas family home evenings. I have my own personal stack of Christmas books I read each year. Cora has said several times that she is sad Christmas is over. On the day after Christmas Violet asked how many more days until Christmas comes again. It's nice to be able to remind them that the greatest things about Christmas, like our fun family times and the story of the Christ child, are things we can remember and do all year long. And I think we'll still be singing Christmas stories at bedtime for quite a while longer!