Christmas 2023

After the busiest December of our family's career, Christmas finally arrived this year.  We spent two quiet and peaceful days celebrating this special holiday with family.  After church on Christmas Eve, we drove to my parent's house to spend the evening with my family.  As always, we enjoyed an evening of delicious food and our traditional Christmas program.  We then drove home late and got the kids to bed before Santa Clause paid a visit.  The three younger children were obedient and didn't come into our bedroom until after 7 a.m. on Christmas morning.  We then made them wait until 8 o'clock to wake up Lia before heading downstairs to see all of the gifts that Santa left them.  After our traditional breakfast, we enjoyed opening up gifts from under the tree before my parents stopped by in the afternoon for their visit.  After they left, I made a large Filipino dinner that we ate in the dining room.  Overall, it was a lovely way to spend these two days and I am so grateful for this quiet, family time that we were able to have after such a busy month.

The four children dressed in their Sunday clothes before heading off to church on Christmas Eve.

Another picture in front of the Christmas tree with mom.

And, lastly, mom and dad.

Our traditional family picture in front of my parent's tree on Christmas Eve.

After dinner, we gathered in my parents' living room for the Christmas program.  Here is a darling picture I got of Emmett sitting on Riley's lap before it started.

Lia and Riley played Mary and Joseph this year.

The entire group after they were done reenacting the nativity story.  I always love watching the kids perform this every year.

Natalee then brought out her bells for everyone to play several Christmas songs.  Here is a picture of Logan, Ella, and Trenton ringing them with gusto.

We finished off the evening with my dad lighting the candles on the tree.  We then sang "Silent Night" in German and English in addition to a few other Christmas songs.

No matter the age, all of the grandchildren still get such a kick out of snuffing out the candles on the tree.  Here is Emmett putting out a candle down low on the tree.

Logan taking a turn with a candle up high.

Ella having a turn.

Lia was one of the last to put out a few candles.

Since our family was not going to Priest Lake this year due to Matilda rehearsals starting the second week of break, we decided to do the cousin gift exchange on Christmas Eve instead.  Here is Emmett opening up a Bluey car from Riley.

Ella got a Taylor Swift poster from Callie.

Logan was so excited to get an alarm clock from Trenton so that he now can know what time it is whenever he is in his bedroom.

Lia got some more Pura Vida earrings from Brynn.

On Christmas morning, I was able to take pictures of all of the four kids' Santa chairs before they came running downstairs.  Here is Emmett's corner of the couch.  His big gift was a mini, Pacman arcade game.

Ella's couch with her Nanea American Girl Doll that she has wanted for years.

Logan's gifts, including a jumbo, Magic set that he was so excited to get.

Lia's chair with some tiny gift bags containing different pictures that represented her big Christmas gift of the year--an HXP trip to Africa with her dear friend, Lacey.

Emmett and Ella running down the stairs once we gave them the green light.

Emmett and Logan checking out their Santa gifts for the first time.  I just love the look of pure joy on Emmett's face as he grabs his smiley face slippers.

Logan picking up his Percy Jackson bookmark.

Ella smiling at me as she stands next to her gifts.

Lia holding up a new shirt she found on her Santa chair.

Emmett, Ella, and Lia all showing off their smiley face slippers in different colors.

Ella holding up her beloved Nanea doll.

Lia showing off her new pair of Converse sneakers.

Logan holding up one of the two book sets he received from Santa.

Emmett proudly showing me his mini arcade game.

The kids and I sitting down to our Christmas breakfast of eggs, bacon, and bread ring rolls.

One last children photo in front of the Christmas tree before all of the gifts got passed out and opened.

Emmett holding up the new drone ball he got.

Logan showing his old school Gameboy machine he just opened.

Ella opening up her gift from Aunt Austin and Uncle Robbie...

which was a cow-themed, Snuggie blanket that she wanted to badly!

Lia was all about shoes this Christmas and got three new pairs.  Here she is holding up her new black heels.

All four kids holding their Christmas ornaments that they received from Aunt Blanche.

A photo with the kids and grandma and grandpa at the end of their visit.

Making Gingerbread Houses

Since December was so busy and school got out for winter break so late this year, we were finally able to gather around the table to decorate gingerbread houses on December 23rd.  That is weeks later than normal for us, but we will take whatever we can get during this crazy, busy chapter of our lives.  Lia and Ella worked together on a "girls' house" and Logan and Emmett worked together on a "boys' house" while I bounced back and forth helping both groups.  We spent a fun hour or so sitting around our kitchen table while Christmas music played in the background.  I am grateful for these little, holiday traditions that we still get to do each year, and for the opportunity that it gives us to spend time together as a family.

Lia and Ella working on their elaborate front yard.

Logan and Emmy working on the roof together.

The boys and me decorating away!

First Skoarding Day of the Season!

Since Ella has gymnastics practice every Saturday this entire school year, our options to go skiing as a family are really limited this winter season.  Although Ron is free to go with Lia and Logan as much as he would like, I need to stay home to get Ella to and from practice each week.  As a result, there are only a few times that the five of us can go together as a family this year.  The first opportunity we had was to go skiing today during our Winter break.  Since we still need my parents to watch Emmett, we had to hit the slopes before they leave for Priest Lake for the entire second half of the break.  Although the mountains are still low on snow this year, we were grateful that our resort had every lift open except for one on the backside of the mountain. So, we got up at 5 a.m. and headed out at 6 a.m. on the dot to get to the resort early enough to find close parking and get our new lift cards for the season.  We were on the first chair lift by 9 o'clock which is unheard for us!  We the spent a funfilled day on the slopes together as a family.  This is only the third time that the five of us have been able to "skoard" together as a group, and I still appreciate it so much after years of being divided between the beginner run with Logan and Ella and the top of the mountain with Lia.  Although it was snowing and windy, the kids did a great job powering through the cold for the most part.  We did take a little break around 11:30 in the upper lodge for some hot cocoa and nachos to help Ella get warmed up again.  But we then spent the rest of the afternoon back on the slopes, skoarding together with the fresh snow falling.  It really was a wonderful way to start our Winter break.  I am loving this little chapter of our family's life before we bring Emmett into the mix next year! 

Logan boarding past me as the snow swirls around him.

Ella snowplowing down the hill.

Lia flying down the hill.

Mother and kids at the top of the mountain.

Taking a break with the family in the upper mountain lodge.

Lia and Logan in front of us on the chair lift.

The girls with the winter wonderland behind them.

Daddy and his kiddos at the end of the day.