Christmas For Four

We had the chance to stay home for Christmas as a family of four once again, and we jumped on it. It is so nice to be able to build our own traditions and enjoy time together without the regular activities and schedule.
On Christmas Eve, we all went to a mid-afternoon service at "the best church ever" together. I think you can tell a lot about a church by their Christmas Eve service, and as much as I have really started to feel good about this church, I was nervous for the service. I was blown away by how great it was, and thought it was just right for the whole family. The service really felt like a celebration of Jesus' birth, not a sermon geared to condemn all the people who only go to church on Christmas. They had a children's choir, children's message, video clips, beautiful music, a skit, and a short sermon on Mary's role in the Christmas story (yes, she gave birth to Jesus, but the point of the sermon was that she said "yes" to God). The service ended with the candlelit singing of Silent Night, which always feels special to me and makes me think of being a little girl in my grandparents' church on Christmas Eve. Jillian was so grown up and intent on her job of holding the candle (with my help). Adrienne was wiggly and everywhere (dancing in the aisles), but so were other kids near us. No one acted bothered by any of this, and this always helps a mom feel OK. It started snowing on the short drive home, and continued to shower a beautiful and peaceful coating of snow the rest of the evening. The girls received the obligatory Christmas jammies after we ate dinner, and they also exchanged the gifts they had selected for each other. This was precious to watch, both of them really picked out perfect gifts for the other. Jillian selected a toy camera for Adrienne and a baby who pees on the potty (because she knows we are trying to get Adrienne re-trained), and Adrienne picked out a Rapunzel hair styling doll (because Jillian has been trying to do her own hair lately and will style the hair of her stuffed animals, dolls, etc).  It was a sweet moment.

I tried to get a good picture of the girls in front of the tree....

As is typical, A is wearing Minnie Ears and her amulet. This is real life, people.

Testing out the Swedish slipper socks that go with the jammies

Ready for the Christmas story before bed

I gave into my desire to purchase the beloved Hanna Anderson Christmas jammies. My heart is goo.

How I found Jillian when I went to check on the girls before I hit the hay.

On Christmas morning, no one stirred until 7:30! Matt managed to convince Jillian that she had to stay in her room until 7 or she might scare Santa away, and it worked. We opened stockings while our pancakes baked (I tried a new recipe for pancake squares and it was GREAT. Recipe is on the food blog), and then we fueled up before opening the rest of the gifts upstairs. The girls really surprised us this year in that they wanted to pause and play with toys before continuing to unwrap. We really expected them to tear through everything quickly, but we managed to drag out the process in a leisurely pace that took us most of the morning. It was a fun and relaxing time for all of us, and we enjoyed the sight of more snow falling softly. This is my kind of snow--on a holiday with no place to go!!

"Santa" found these funny boxers for Matt--covered in pictures of cheeseburgers, the meat he (we!)  just can't wait to eat on New Year's after a year "meat fast"

Matt told the girls that it was their job to fill my stocking, so he took them shopping and said they picked every single thing out with great care. Very sweet. 

Pancake face

Aunt Angela sent a silly sock monkey santa hat

Santa heard Adrienne and brought her a fun Bubble Guppies book

Ruby Slippers!

The Wizard of Oz nut was elated to be Dorothy. 

A pause in the action for a little Bubble Guppies puzzle

A has her own goggles now "Yike Jee-yan's", so she is set for Hawaii

Santa left a note on the tree that sent us on a hunt to find one last gift. The dollhouse was ready and waiting in the playroom.

"Santa" is hoping for hours and hours and hours and hours of play with this one.

We spent a lazy afternoon watching a movie, enjoying our gifts, and dining on appetizers and the ice cream cake we made for Jesus' birthday. Matt and I stayed up late packing for Des Moines and then played a couple games together (quickly becoming a great way for us to spend an evening together). It was a wonderful Christmas and I feel so, so blessed.