Christmas Re-cap

A friend of mine posted on her blog recently that it is a challenge/struggle to keep up with blogging over Christmas.  Ditto that.  I tried diligently to keep up with the goings-ons of the Party kids - but as the actual holiday approached, time became scarce, activities and obligations grew, and the blog was neglected.  So here is our Christmas - in pictures and a few words...

Anna covered in chocolate - her babysitter/friends who kept her the week before Christmas had loads of fun making chocolate dipped pretzels!

Christmas Eve - just home from church service and dinner at Uncle Darron and Aunt Carla's

Time to open one gift - Christmas PJs!

Preparing for Santa - Jack loved the musical milk mug

Selecting which cookies Santa might like. 

Not pictured - mommy filling up Santa's mug with wine.  So we were out of egg-nog - and we convinced the kids that Santa might be tired of milk - so a glass of Merlot might be a good idea.

What, what's wrong with that?!?

Saying goodbye to Happy - he's perched on the tree right above their heads.

One of our new snow globes this year - Santa praying over Baby Jesus.

Reading the Night Before Christmas - from the pop-up edition of my childhood -

the book my mom used to read to my brother and I every Christmas Eve.

One last photo before heading up to bed!

And then Santa came!  Anna loved her Barbie Princess Charm School items.

While James relished his 'po-po' stick.  I'm still not sure about this gift - Santa didn't send

an extra insurance policy along with it...

And Jack adored his new stick horse!

Part of the aftermath from Santa's generous haul.

Jack was very serious opening his gifts.

A Christmas morning breakfast of snowman donuts, sausage and egg casserole, fresh strawberries, and of course, Christmas cookies!

Our Advent wreath is finally fully lit.

 

James tries out his new po-go stick.

Jack gets in on the fun as well.

And Anna tries out her new Barbie scooter.

Chocolate cake, chocolate ganache filling, swiss buttercream icing, white chocolate snowflakes.

Yum.

Aunt Mary - who helped me make her mother's recipe for crown roast of pork.

It was as delicious as it was beautiful.

Tanner - breaking into his Christmas cracker.

Grandpa Jimmy - looking a bit like Ray Charles in James' new spy glasses that Santa brought him in his stocking.

Uncle Harry and Aunt Mary's gift to Anna - a hand painted 'Clara' ornament from Germany.

It was a lovely Christmas.  Some of it was really really good.  Some of it was really really bad (topic of another post.)  But all in all, we celebrated this most holy of holidays with family, friends who have become like family, and our own little Party of Five.

Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night.