Christmas in Three Days

For us Christmas is a three day affair...We start on December 23rd and the party doesn't end until late on December 25th. I tried for a good picture of the boys... but this is the best we got, typical of our daily lives.

December 23rd - This is the day we celebrate with the Weyerman side of t he family. We went to Brittney's house to have dinner and open presents. This is always a fun evening - between dinner and presents we take the time to share Christmas stories and musical talents in the family. I love to hear the children play the piano, sing songs, and listen to the fun stories and poems - in many ways it helps us remember the true spirit of Christmas before we dive into the pile of gifts. This year we planned a special gift for the Grandma's and Greg's mom opened a fun present fro m our family...a box of pink balloons.

December 24th - On this evening we get together with my family to decorate Christmas cookies, a tradition for many many years in our home (more pictures of that later). We also play the candy bar game...a fun time where more sugar is provided for us to eat. Before the game we let my mom open her own box full of pink balloons...and yes we are super excited that baby #4 is a healthy happy baby girl. When we got home we let the boys open their new jammies

and got them ready for bed. Then I hurried and finished wrapping the gifts for under the tree and filled up the stockings.

December 25th - Christmas morning we hurried the boys through a quick breakfast and getting dressed and out the door for church (it is was early 8:20am). We chose to wait and open gifts and have our big Christmas breakfast when we returned from church. Luckily since the boys are still young we were able to pull this off. I love watching the boys open their presents - there is a magic about Christmas and part of that is only seen through their eyes. (Pictures of Christmas morning to also follow later). After quick naps, we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa Alton's to open gifts there and have dinner. It is a busy time of the year but I love that I get to spend it with family.