Project 365 - Day 359

It's Christmas Day! Merry Christmas! The kids had a wonderful Christmas morning. They were so excited with their toys.

Some highlights were Nathan getting the Indiana Jones Lego set he wanted. Noah getting his very own chair. Laura had asked for a cough machine because she had been sick like a month before Christmas - I don't know where she gets this from. She was so funny because even though the cough was gone that is what she asked for. So, she got cough drops in her stocking.

The other highlight was Nathan asking Santa to bring his mom a new pot so she can cook. He really didn't ask for anything for himself this year, thus the super surprise with the lego set. I didn't really need new pots but Mike and I decided that Santa had better come through because it might be a pretty sad morning if Nathan's wish wasn't granted. So I will say that even though I didn't NEED new pots, they are pretty slick and I love having them. He is so sweet for thinking of me.

Project 365 - Day 356

We got together with my uncle's family for some holiday cheer. My two cousins are beautiful smart girls who wanted to have some kids around for christmas and we were all too eager to oblige. They had a whole day of fun planned for the kids with decorating christmas cookies to opening presents they can play with and a very yummy kid dinner (to which I still can't make as good as cousin Nikki). It was a great day!

Christmas Morning

The kids had a great Christmas morning. My camera battery died so I didn't get very many (or good ones in focus) but the blur of Christmas morning excitement is what we have this year. I just can't believe how much they got this year. I waaay over did it - I tried to start early and I guess I just didn't realize how much stuff they had until they were opening up that morning. Next year will be very different. Nathan got Star Wars Legos and Laura got her very own gaming system complete with Nemo game (she has been feeling very left out of the whole Daddy/Nathan/Playstation thing). She got her very own special legos too. The kids were really cute to help Noah open his presents.

I had to sneak a shot of the tissue paper wrapped gifts. This is a tradition from Mike's family. Christmas morning they would come down to find all of their gifts wrapped in tissue paper from Santa to simulate snow. It is something Mike does every year now and while the kids don't get it I hope someday they will.

Nathan's Christmas Gifts

Nathan was sooo excited when he came home from school before Christmas break. He had a whole bag of Christmas gifts for us and was very stern about how they were for Christmas Eve and we couldn't look into the bag. He was very serious about how this gift giving was going to go. He is very literal when it comes to what the teachers at school say - I only wish he was that disciplined at home! He made several decorations and a few ornaments and I just have to say I think the greatest gift was his smiles of pure proud love when he was showing us his creations - that is what I will have forever.

Christmas Crafts

Here are a few Christmas crafts that I don't have good pictures of. I will post the finished products soon. My Christmas card was supposed to be easy this year but I just can't seem to make anything easy for myself.

The card just didn't look right without ribbon and those little stockings needed to be stuffed and personally I can't think of anything better than a stocking stuffed with ribbon. These were not cooperative at all though and had to be glued to the charm before I could glue them onto the card. Geesh, will I ever learn?!!!!

The ribbon tree is something I have been wanting to do for a while and just have put it off - now I know why. Geesh, this was a total pain to do too. First I had to cut a bunch of different ribbon the same size, then tried to glue them on and found they only came apart so I had to glue each ribbon piece together and then glue it on the tree. Needless to say I was wanting a little forest of ribbon trees and I couldn't even get one entirely completed for myself. I did manage to finish one for someone who I know would enjoy it as much as me but as for the forest, this is one time we won't be seeing the forest only the tree!

The last one is a barely there picture over Nathan's shoulder. I completely forgot to take a picture of our little snow family before they were packed up and headed for the rafters. So this will have to do. I saw this in my Family Fun magazine and just thought it would be really fun. The kids enjoyed picking their colored earmuffs and helping me mold the carrot noses. They are missing some scarfs but they will have them next year. These were really easy and fun, I highly recommend them.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town...

Every year the city of Roseville has a little neighborhood Santa tour at night. Usually Santa is escorted by a firetruck and tosses candy canes to kids in the street, but this year he got a POLICE escort. The kids really think this is neat to hear sirens and run outside to see what is happening. We live in a great area that is always doing things for the kids. It is something Mike and I look forward to each and every year.

that is a snow mobile you see...

Waiting for Santa to do a 'drive-by'

rubbing cold noses!