Christmas 2013: Recap

Our holiday season was sooo busy this year!  While it was a blessing, the New Year has been a breath of fresh air. We started our Christmas celebrations a few weeks early.  My mom's side of the family had a nice get together with all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Even though we all live in the Des Moines area Christmas is the time that we all come together to reconnect.  Unfortunately, Cole and Daddy missed out this year.  Poor Cole was so sick with a bacterial infection and ear infection.  The girls had a blast playing with their cousins and wearing their new jammies.

 The same weekend we welcomed Aunt Libby and Uncle David into our home for a few days.  It's always fun when they come to visit from Texas.  We spend our mornings hushing the girls and keeping them from running down to the basement and waking Libby and David up...at 7am.  We celebrated for three days with lots of food, laughter, catching up, and presents.  Once again, the kids were spoiled this year.

Riley had a Christmas program at preschool this year.  The kids sang songs and wore their costumes to retell the story of Christmas.  Riley was the cutest little angel.  She did a great job.  She was the first in line and led all of the kids onto the stage. 

We visited Santa again this year.  Early in December I tried to get the kids to visit him while we happened to be at the mall playing on a cold day.  Riley decided that she wanted to visit the Santa at "my mall."  So that gave us more time to prepare their lists. The girls each had one thing that asked for consistently.  Riley wanted a fire truck. Harper wanted two oranges.  Only two oranges. We cracked up at that all month.  When we went to the mall to see Santa the line was too long so we rode the train instead.  I took the kids to see Santa during the day.  The line was short, but trying to manage all of them and get a picture was difficult.  Harper told Santa what she wanted and gave him a high five, but refused to stand next to him or sit on his lap. Riley did great and let Santa read her letter and sat next to him.  Cole wanted nothing to do with Santa, but did sit on his lap for a quick (and blurry) picture. 

Christmas Eve, we spent the night at Aunt Marilyn's.  She prepared a great prime rib dinner.  The kids love Aunt Marilyn and running around with the kids.  After Aunt Marilyn's we had a quiet night setting out cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and his reindeer.  Riley was super excited for Christmas.  This was the first year that we could really see the excitement and anticipation in her.

Christmas morning came early for us.  Riley was in our bedroom at 4:20 ready to go downstairs to see what Santa brought her.  We have a gate at the top of the stairs so she couldn't just run down their on her own.  We were able to hold her off until 6.  We took the girls downstairs to see what Santa brought and to look in their stockings.  Riley received her fire truck, Harper her two oranges, and Cole some car toys.  Santa also spoiled them with a trampoline and tablet to share.  They couldn't have been any happier.

We couldn't start presents until Cole woke up around 7:30.  The girls had fun playing with their new toys, but Riley had a hard time not waking her brother up to get to her other presents. 

Later in the day we headed over to Grandpa and Grandma Burch's house for another Christmas celebration.  We had another great ham lunch and once again we were all spoiled with presents!

Such a great Christmas this year!