Christmas Time

We spent Christmas at home this year!!! I must say it was very peaceful and relaxing. I was done with the Christmas shopping and all the Christmas preparations the Friday before Christmas. Wesley finished doing my Christmas shopping on Saturday...I do not think he will wait that long again, he did not enjoy the crowds full of grumpy New Yorkers.

I spent a lot of time baking this year, more than I have in previous years. Cookies, cookies and more cookies!!! I was baking so much I started decorating with them....

The Christmas card took over 50 hours of man time, I am very grateful that they are done and I don't have to think about Christmas cards until August. Here is one of the first sketches Wes did.

I watched 4 versions of a Christmas Carol this season, if Wes would have had his way we would have watched every version ever made. My favorite is still the Muppet's Christmas Carol, it is fabulous. I also sat down and watched its a Wonderful Life, I never thought I would be able to enjoy watching it again after seeing it so much when I was a kid. My Dad is obsessed with the movie, I probably saw it over a hundred times before I was 15.

Audrey and Hannah putting out the Christmas goodies for Santa; did you know that 2 out of every 10 reindeer prefer carrots over celery?

Christmas Eve is full of traditions in our house. We always read the girls stories and have done some kind of craft or show for them. This year we made these cute little snowman cupcakes. I also made Santa a Cheesecake, the reindeer started to complain because they were afraid they were not going to be able to pull Santa in the sled.
The girls are at the perfect age, their enthusiasm and joy was contagious, Wes and I could not wait for Christmas morning, I kept asking Wes if I could go and wake the girls up and have Christmas. He did not think 3:30 in the morning was a good idea. (Sidenote - My Mom got Danny, Kurtis and my Dad up at 4:00 to open presents, I guess that feeling never goes away.)

It is hard to be away from family this time of year but the girls definitely make up for it. It was so fun to watch them open their Christmas presents and shouting thank you to Santa and all the family who had sent them gifts. Look at my little Christmas Angels!!!