Christmas 2021

Well, we wrapped up our Christmas season yesterday with a wonderful two days--both at the grandparent's house and at our home.  With the Corona Virus raging with a new variant, I am so grateful that all six of us have stayed healthy this past month and that we have been able to do everything that we had scheduled.  We started off Christmas morning with the kids going on a treasure hunt left by our Elf on the Shelf, Julius, as a last hoorah before he returns to the North Pole until next year.  After running all over the house, the kids ended up in the garage finding two wrapped presents in the back of the minivan.  After bringing the gifts inside, the children unwrapped them to find count down chains for the two big trips we are going on in 2022 to Disneyland and Belize.  Needless to say, they were super surprised and excited about both of them.  A few hours later, we packed up our car and drove to Issaquah to spend the evening at my parent's house with all of the WA cousins, aunts, and uncles.  We enjoyed our traditional Christmas Eve at grandma's house with a delicious turkey dinner and Christmas program afterwards.  As always, it was a wonderful way to spend this special day with family.

We then enjoyed a quiet day at home on Christmas day which I have grown to love over the years as I find myself more and more tired each year at the end of the holiday season.  The kids loved running downstairs to find their Santa chairs or couches full of new toys, games, books, clothes, etc. After giving them an hour or so to explore all of their new presents, we gathered around the dining room table for our traditional Christmas breakfast.  We then returned to the living room to open gifts under the Christmas tree.  For the first time ever, my parents arrived before lunch to see the children's presents and to deliver their Christmas gifts.  While my dad took a much needed nap, we exchanged gifts with my mom and then she sat and watched us continue to open up our Christmas gifts from under the tree.  After my parents left, we had a slow afternoon before Ron helped me make our traditional Filipino dinner while we watched A Christmas Story with the kids.  During our dinner, it actually began snowing which was such a treat!  Although it had been forecasted for days, I didn't know if it would actually happen, but we really had a light dusting of snow fall on Christmas evening which really made the ending of this special day feel so magical!

The kids bringing in the presents they found in the back of my car at the end of the scavenger hunt.

Getting ready to open up the scavenger hunt gifts.

The kids showing off their countdown chains!

The annual, Hartland fam picture in front of grandma's tree on Christmas Eve.

A vertical shot of our fam.

Chris "leading" Trenton and Ella back into the living room before the Christmas program started.

Since we spent last Saturday afternoon at my parent's house, my mom taught all three of the older children how to play her old harpsichord instrument.  All three of them decided that they wanted to play one or two Christmas songs for the program.  Here is Ella going first.

And Lia second.

And Logan last.

Aunt Natalee brought out her bells and we all enjoyed "ringing" a few Christmas songs.  Emmett absolutely loved this and just rang his bells the entire time through every song.

Ella waiting her turn to ring her green bell.

Lia ringing her grey bell.

Emmy madly ringing both of his bells.

Emmett reluctantly ringing two more bells before putting them away until next year.

The Logan, Trenton, Emmett, Ella pig pile that occurred in between program numbers.

We continued with our traditional reenactment of the nativity story. Although I tried to dress Emmett in a shepherd's costume, he insisted on wearing the very girly, angel costume and stole the show!

Ella was the other angel dressed in Lia's old Mary costume (that she has now outgrown) with wings.  Here she is proclaiming her announcement of baby Jesus' arrival to the shepherds.

I just love this picture of all of the children (minus Logan) gathered around the baby Jesus in the cradle.

The entire gang after the two stars and the two wise men arrived.  Yes, our numbers are off a little bit.

A close-up of our darling angel.

A group photo after the retelling of the nativity story was finished.  I just love this family tradition of ours and know that the years are limited before the older cousins grow up and move on to bigger and better things.

As always, we finished off our evening by watching grandpa light the candles on the Christmas tree and singing "Silent Night" and a few other Christmas hymns in the glow of the lit tree.

Ella snuffing out one of the candles.

Logan taking a turn.

All four children running down the stairs on Christmas morning.  Look at that wild action shot of Ella leaping down the stairs!

Ella and Logan just mesmerized as they examine their Christmas gifts for the first time.

Emmett picking up his new Pop It toy.

Logan showing off his new shark blanket and Lego set.

Ella happily holding up her new American Girl Doll, Julie, who had been sent to the doll hospital to get a brand new head!

Emmett playing with his new Lego Duplo train set.

Logan holding up his massive nerf gun that he had been hoping he would get for months!

Ella showing off Julie with her new outfit on.

Emmett showing off his Thomas the Train ornament while Ella models her new clip on earrings.

The pajama-clad gang posing in front of the fireplace before eating breakfast.

Ella modeling one of her favorite presents of the entire day--a Mal costume from the Disney, Descendants movies.

Mom and kids waiting to start eating breakfast.

Mom and kiddos posing for a picture before passing out the gifts under the Christmas tree to be opened.

The Hartland kids in their pajamas (minus Ella who had already transformed to Mal).

Ella unwrapping one of her gifts--the Descendants 1 & 2 DVDs.

Logan showing off his new drone to dad after opening it up.

Lia getting ready to open up some handmade, "Anne with an E" items from etsy.

Daddy showing off his new, spinner wheels suitcase.  We are slowly upgrading all of our small suitcases to this style of luggage.

Ella standing next to grandma while she opened our first gift to her.

Grandma opening up her second gift from us.

The kids posing with grandma and grandpa before they left to go to Chris' house.

Since the parents arrived at our house so early this Christmas, I was still in my pajamas while they were here.  As silly as it felt, I joined in one picture, too.

The beautiful dusting of snow on our front yard and street at the end of Christmas day.  I just love how pretty Christmas lights and snow look together.