Christmas

This year December wasn't as busy or fun filled for me as years past because I have felt so yucky. However, with the help of Dan, I did manage to decorate the house, do some holiday crafts with the kids and make gingerbread houses. Here's the proof:

Tess and I studied Christmas around the world for her Social Studies/Map unit.  We learned about Germany, Holland, Norway, Israel, and Spain. Thanks Aunt Aimee! 

(Swedish tradition: the oldest daughter serves the family cookies and cocoa wearing a festive crown.)

CHRISTMAS EVE

We missed my sisters, Aimee and Liz this year! They have been with us the last THREE years! (With Tate being sealed to Steve and Steph on the 27th it just didn't make sense, schedule wise, for them to come.) Christmas Eve was pretty easy this year, we enjoyed Panini sandwiches and chocolate fondu with the Warner family. We acted out the nativity and ended the night by about 730.

C.C. and Benny as Mary and Joseph

Angel Tess

Jake and Abby as the Wise Men! Jake enjoyed strutting his stuff in his asian robe!

After saying good bye to the cousins I put Abby to bed first and then helped Jake and Tess prepare for Santa.

As they were laying in bed I told them about when I was young I laid sooo still and quiet so that I could listen for the bells on Santa's sleigh. Wow did that do the trick. Never in their lives have they immediately been quiet! Tess went right to sleep and Jake listened until he and his Dad DID in fact hear Santa's bells! Then right to sleep he went.

Dan worked hard the entire week before Christmas to get things done so that we wouldn't have to stay up so late/early on Christmas Eve. Even after all his hard work I went to bed at about 1A.M. and he followed at 230A.M.!  The kids woke up at 7am and we had our OJ and headed down stairs to see if in fact Santa did come.

He came! Jake got a hot wheels race track, Tess got an art easel, and Abby got a crib for her baby dolls (and CANDY).  We enjoyed playing with Santa's gifts for awhile and then we sat around the tree opening the other gifts. This year we had the kids buy each other gifts. It was fun to watch their reactions to each others gifts. Here is Abby's:

 Jake got her a new baby doll.

I didn't get many pictures on Christmas day. I did manage to take a picture of the kids favorite gift from Grandma and Grandpa Breinholt:

Abby was so funny carrying around her "guitar" while doing her treasure hunt and finding presents. Jacob learned his first song that morning. Thanks Mom and Dad!

We had a fun morning although I don't remember ever being so tired on Christmas morning!!
After our traditional breakfast we quickly got ready for church. Having Dan drive with us, sit with us, and come home with us from church was such a treat! The kids snuggled up to him during Sacrament meeting. When Dan came back from the stand after singing in a Christmas number Abby excitedly, and loudly, exclaimed "YEAH! Daddy you're back, I get to sit with you!" It was AWESOME!

Her are some pictures us playing with Christmas gifts later in the week:

 Dan helped the kids build a really long fun race track. It was fun to hear the squeals of delight when it worked!

We got a wheat grinder for Christmas as well. We have made lots of whole wheat bread this week. YUM! Here is a picture of Jake and Tess working together to test out the new hand crank.

We had a fun dinner and movie night this week. We got to eat dinner in the living room and watch a new family movie Santa brought. The Absent Minded Professor, I just call it Flubber.

We got the kids a new Wii game: Just Dance for kids. It is AWESOME! Jake played with it the first day for 4 hour straight! He was nice and sweaty by the end. It is a great way to get some energy out and exercise on a cold/rainy indoor day!