Twas the Night Before Christmas.....

 We've tried MANY different "traditions" to start on Christmas Eve dinner, but none has ever stuck or been one the kids REALLY looked forward to (like when we started making won-tons and chinese food....it was just Brooks and I that loved it).

So Brooks came up w/ an idea this year to always make 2 pop-in-the-bum chickens (however we LOVE the cola drink taste better.....sprite isn't as good) and then let each of the kids pick a side to go w/ them. I would make the strawberry/kiwi and strawberry/banana Christmas pies for dessert, so that was covered. It was fun to see what they came up with. I'm SURE over the years they'll get bigger and bigger and not as easy to make, but for now the 5 kids that were old enough to pick sure enjoyed it.

Bronson- fruit bowl WITH mangoes.

 Emerson- deviled eggs

 Iris- Jell-o with Sprite in it (it makes it all bubbly tasting)

 Aleeya- corn (see what I mean? Easy)

 Brooks and the chickens right after they came off the grill. Don't they look yummy?!?!?

 Me- artichokes..........of course.

 Camden- biscuits

 And the NEW traditional drink of Christmas Eve that Tia Linsey introduced us to........Cherry 7-up w/ oranges, pineapple and cherries in it.

 They kept saying "this is the BEST dinner ever"..........obviously, by the picture below.

Then we invited our neighbors over for a Christmas Eve talent show. They have never had any kids so it was kind of fun/chaotic for them I think.

Ms. Kaye read them "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Royce wasn't TOO interested since he sat and played w/ Bronson's DS. :)

Then Bronson played a song on the piano

Next, these 3 sang Jingle Bells.

 These 4 played "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" on the chimes

Emerson sang "Oh Christmas Tree" (while Royce just stood there)

Then Ms. Kaye read this REALLY cute story where the kids had to hold up their part when she read it in the book. Here is when Mr. Bruce was holding up his "hay" from the stable. I loved it.

Then we read Luke 2 and the kids sang "Picture a Christmas". It was so sweet.

I'm glad we could share Christmas Eve w/ our neighbors.

I love Christmas Eve night.............so magical.

Winston

Brooks actually had a Saturday AND Sunday off (miracles never cease, I tell ya), so I convinced him to do a quick trip back to Winston Salem. Of course, I just wanted to go back and see friends, but Brooks also wanted to do some trimming on some trees in the house we still own there.

While he was doing that, I ran over to my friends, The Cunninghams, and gave them our dog Sally. (don't ask). Then we went out to eat at some pizza place. We ordered a TON of pizza (because the kiddos like to snack on pizza at the hotel, etc.) and put it in a to-go box after we ate. 

There was this homeless guy that came walking in (we were the only customers there) and started up a conversation w/ Royce......who doesn't even say one word......he just grunts randomly and says "Nah". So you can IMAGINE how well that conversation went.....

Anyway, Brooks asked the guy if he wanted a slice or two of pizza because he looked hungry and opened the box. Next thing we know the guy has the whole box and he's walking out the door. hahahaha

Apparently he thought Brooks was offering the WHOLE box to the guy. That was a tricky one to explain to Emerson as to why he didn't have extra pizza in the hotel (yet also a teaching moment too). We laughed about it pretty hard though.

We went over to the Hibbetts SUPER late that night...........or should I say "Mrs. and Santa Clause!!!" Holy cow, they got each of the kiddos a HUGE gift.

 Guessed w/ the girls REALLY well by giving twin babies and a bathing baby.

 Royce, who is too excited to hold still over his truck.

 Here's Emerson w/ his helicopter that Royce was trying to snatch. Notice Bronson wandering around behind trying to find all the bullets from his nerf gun he just got.

 Camden got this remote control truck that wouldn't work.....so the Hibbetts pulled out a BIGGER remote control four-wheeling guy and gave to him instead. Camden said....and I quote...."This hit the spot". hahaha

He wanted a remote control something so bad, but Santa and I had no idea until oh....2 days before Christmas. So THANKS to the Hibbetts, he got one.

I LOVED going to church and seeing my old friends. We also got to hang out at my friend's house after. And according to Bronson, I guess Andrea COOKS better then I do too.  :) Nice.

What a fun and SUPER quick trip.

Who knew?

Yes, I married a talented man.....I realize this. But I had no idea he was a woodsman.....carpenter.......or whatever it is they call someone who makes a SUPER AWESOME wooden bowl for Christmas.

Here are some of the pics to show the progress.

 He went over quite a few times to this guy's house in our church here and worked on it with him.....since Brooks was kind of an apprentice to this guy in the whole bowl-making thing.

Then he brought it home, burned an "S" in the bottom and painted all the shiney stuff on it to give to his parents for Christmas. I think it turned out pretty darn awesome.

Random

Here are a few random pics I found on my camera this month:

Volleyball action in the living room w/ duct tape as the divider. (we're high class)

 I finished my nieces stocking w/ mistletoe on the front. And nope, I haven't even STARTED Kellyn's mistletoe one.....but I'm just gonna kick back and enjoy the holidays. She won't know the difference, right?

 I found the boys like this one night..... Emerson on top and Camden on bottom.....it's like a ghetto bunkbed. 

 Iris is such a sweetie and a great sister.

 Emerson is STILL my snuggle boy. This is one time he was laying on my lap after school and I just can't get enough of looking at his cute freckles on his nose. I used to count my when I was younger. I had 13. :)

He has them all over his cheeks too. I love 'em.

 And since the weather was in the 70s last week, why not start a camp fire in your backyard right?

high 60s and 70s in December? I'll take it. And so will Aleeya.....who is ALWAYS still wearing either a swimsuit or gymnastics outfit. Always.

Last day of school is today for the boys. YAY for Christmas break. I'm just getting sooooooo excited.

Christmas Par-tay

Our church had a church party this past weekend. 

I was in charge of all the music w/ the Primary kids while they did their nativity, so it was SO fun pawning off my younger 3 to others there since Brooks was working. (weird, I know........NOT!)

Anyway, I had the most handsome wiseman and shepherd.....who I didn't get a picture of because we came straight from football practice to the party. But trust me, they were cute, and they did GREAT on their chimes musical number.

But I DID have the sweetest little sheep up there......

 And the most energetic ox. :)

And the rest of us just decked ourselves out in green and red. I love that little "Roycey"'s face.

At first Royce wasn't sure of Santa but was fine after he handed over the treats. (Yes, I realize he should've asked for shoes for Christmas!) Iris just sat there thinking and thinking of what she was going to ask for. "Hmmmmmm"

"WHAT?! You'll bring me MAKE-UP Santa?!?! THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU!"

Yes, we love Santa around here.........but I'm not too thrilled Santa told Emerson he would bring him a jetpack for Christmas. 

Or at least that's what EMERSON understood.

2 years old!!!

 Here he is admiring his brownie/ice cream and MOST importantly, the 2 fire sticks sitting on top!

 We sat there for a while coaching him on how to blow them out........he ended up doing it his way and just spitting them out.

He LOVED the hoop we got him. So let's count here. One hoop in the driveway, one on the back of my front door and one Royce's height in his room. :)

I wasn't sure what to do for his pinata or if I even felt up to doing one (as if Royce cares). Then the kids told me that THEY all got one when they turned two. So I started thinking on what he likes and what would be easy. Airplane came to mind and I figured in my head how to make it. Then I told the kids my idea and they said, "He likes a LOT more things more then airplanes!" (did that even make sense?!?)

I asked, "Like what?"

Then one of the boys said, "Royce's FAVORITE thing in the whole world is his blankey and thumb. But right after that, he likes suckers. So make him a sucker one."

YES!!!! That WOULD be the easiest pinata known to man. So I grabbed a wrapping paper roll and ONE balloon, paper machey-ed (sp?) only one layer (come on! He's 2!!!) and let it dry. Talk about EASY!

Then the day of, I wrapped it up and drew on the sucker wrapper.

 Don't let this next picture fool you, he actually was OBSESSED with the pinata and loved it.

He loved it so much he didn't want anyone else to whack it!  

(Look at all of them just WAITING for their loot,

which consisted mostly of.....you guessed it.....suckers!)

 He's kinda a pinata whacking pro. He was in heaven actually getting PERMISSION to whack something with his bat. That NEVER happens! :)

But as much as he loves suckers, the boys were right......

he likes his thumb and blankey much more.

And I love it too.......because he's STILL my baby boy!

He's Makin' a List

and he's checkin' it twice. Gonna find out who's "Noti" or "Good".

Or something like that.

Emerson has done Santa a big favor. He has taken upon the responsibility to report to Santa who has been "noti" and who has been "good". He even checked it twice (the check marks on the side).

However, if you'll notice, under the "Noti" column it says "Aleeya, that is it"

So apparently only one stocking will have coal in it............according to my Elf, Emerson.

Not sure what Santa would do w/o him.

My favorite Christmas decoration is my HUGE Moravian star on our front porch (24"). So I decided to order a 12" Moravian star for the tree-topper this year. I love it. It reminds me of Winston-Salem and my wonderful memories there.

 And as always there are sugar cookies on the tree that the kids made. Last year I put hot sauce in the the batter for the cookies for the tree. It prevented nibbling quite nicely. I was out of hot sauce this year so I DUMPED (and I mean dumped) Chili powder in the dough.

Apparently, I didn't dump enough............

 (or Royce has a VERY high tolerance for spicey stuff)

Here is Aleeya's list to Santa to put her in her stocking (Santa just does stockings around here)

 If you can't read it it says, "Kiwi, treat, chapstick, nailpolish, bag (purse), Aleeya, Chocolate)

She's so easy to please.

Little does ALEEYA know, Elf/Emerson told Santa she was "noti", and I didn't notice "coal" on her list....

There is just something magical about Christmas and the lights. Here are the kids getting ready to play hide-n-seek in the dark (but JUST with Christmas lights on in the house). I love it how when they play a game they have a FULL "roster" and plenty of players. :)