CHRISTMAS 2013

This year for Christmas, we had planned to go out to visit family for New Year's since we hadn't made it out to visit since last year and now we had a new baby to meet everyone (this was before my mom's funeral). So we had bought tickets way back in October so we could save a bit of money (the tickets were still over $700 a piece). The only way I was able to get the week after Christmas off was if I worked quite a few days before and the actual holiday. So I worked Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights (although I ended up taking a cancellation after the first 5 hours that last night so I didn't have to catch a plane as soon as I got home from work). It was some good holiday pay too. We celebrated Christmas on Christmas day, though. I got home, Kellen had made a yummy breakfast of crepes, we read a Christmas story, and then we opened presents. We always plan on only having a few gifts each, but we always end up overdoing it. But we only have 2 kids right now, so I suppose we can :)

Some highlight gifts: Kellen got more poopers! Enough to represent our whole family. Shade got a flying helicopter, a dragon catapult, a huge tonka truck and real binoculars. Olive got some of Shade's old baby toys, but also her first baby doll (one that Grandma Nikolaus had restored from Kellen's Grandma Wilson), some cute clothes and bath toys. I got a panini press, which I LOVE by the way. VERY nice and easy to cook with. But Kellen also took Shade to the dollar store and Shade picked out some presents for Olive and I with his own money. He was really thoughtful. He got me some flowers (fake, so they won't ever die) and my favorite candy - sour patch kids (although he wanted to try the new watermelon flavor). Then he got Olive a princess book (from Frozen) and a pack of 3 rubber duckies (1 big, 2 small - which she chews on every time she sees them). Then I went to bed while the rest of the family played with their new stuff.

Making the Gingerbread House (made from foam this year, better for the teeth and the budget), Shade is such a handsome kid, even with juice all over his face!


Breakfast, Kisses, Family pic (Olive was not interested in looking at the camera)