Christmas 2015

Christmas 2015 was perfect!  Maybe it was because I put more into the spiritual preparations, but this Christmas was such a good one.  The snow that arrived the week prior obviously helped add to the whole feeling of the season.  It wasn't even wet, sloppy snow, it was dry, fluffy snow and lots of it.  Midnight Mass was beautiful and peaceful, and the kiddos slept in til 8:00 the next morning so no one was too tired from staying up way past our typical bedtime.  It was delightful.

Again, we celebrated all twelve days.  It makes it feel as though all the preparation ~ spiritual and material ~ is worth it.  It's not just one wild day and then back to business as usual.  I've begun packing up some of the decorations, but can't bring myself to take down our tree. Perhaps as cobwebs begin to collect between it and the windows I will feel a little less nostalgic!

I'm putting up all my pictures from the month because I'm too lazy to write separate posts.

Saint Nicholas's feast day.

Nickles thinks the day is all about him now.    

Max's blanket needed washing and I wasn't sneaky enough getting it to the washing machine.

He cried for the two hours that he could see it in the washer and dryer. 

Note....never, ever, ever get a washer and dryer with windows again.

Doing Kath's hair for the Christmas dance.

My beautiful daughter and her possessed father ;o)

Sledding and Christmas trees.......

........and snow, smoke and hotdogs.

My boys were pooped!

Watching the big boys bring the tree in.

The evening shaped up well for Max...he loves to climb 

and can scale a ladder quicker than most.

Mr. I-can-do-it-myself making tea for his brothers and sisters as a surprise.

It may have been honey with a little tea.

Then, the snow began.

A few days of shoveling and snow blowing and plowing. 

Then more shoveling and more shoveling and more shoveling.

But it was so beautiful!

Making cookies with Kath.

Muddy buddies for his own stash....at least Dom thought so.

I had  them all stored away. Then the container was empty.

He said he made them so he ate them. 

Cookie decorating with cousins.

My only rule is to TRY to avoid a mess.  

I'm still cleaning up little candy beads.  

A sleepover under the Christmas tree afterwards.

It was a shock that any of them slept.

Marshmallows for breakfast??

Yes, please!

Sewing pillowcases for gifts.

And painting chalkboard mugs.

I was dreading haircuts, but Andrew took over and cut the little boys'.

They didn't whine for him! 

My favorite part of Advent....gathered around the wreath in the dark

for night prayers and the St Andrew Novena.

Because pictures of him sleeping make me happy.

Peeling potatoes with Annika.  

I'm not sure how much Max accomplished.

Christmas Eve dinner....cheese fondue.

Mmmmm.

Daddy reading "Twas the Night Before Christmas" after midnight Mass.

Christmas morning.....some look more awake (and excited) than others!

Max wasn't sure about the unwrapping business....

....Nickles was more than willing to help.

Playing and resting after breakfast.

Poor Stacy. 

I think both Lauren and Max wanted her lap to themselves.

Max actually got a charge out of Uncle Matt.

Who knew?!?

Annika loves having a baby girl cousin...she'd love a  baby sister!

Teaching Aunt Carolyn how to play Peanuts. 

How many kids ski in their back yard?

Twinkle, twinkle little star..... 

Our gingerbread people were a little, well, strange-looking this year.

Another sleeping kid that makes me smile.

The end!