Thursday, December 31, 2015

Christmas: Our Home

When we're home for the holidays, we typically go out to my grandparents' house with all of the aunts, uncles, cousins.  It's both a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebration.  So, we were gearing up, getting the kids naps and loading the car with our stuff.  Everything was ready to go. When the kids woke, we got them dressed and started to walk out the door.  Literally as Peter stepped outside our door to get in the car, he got sick.  So much disappointment all around.  Bless his little heart.  So, we changed plans, quickly got some supplies to prepare for the stomach bug catastrophe that might ensue, and we settled in.

Based on a blog I had read earlier in the fall, I stocked up on activated charcoal pills, and as soon as Peter got sick, we all immediately began taking them.  And, guess what?  No one else got sick.  I'm a believer now, and since then, we've stocked the medicine cabinet.  I'd encourage you to do the same!

So, after a couple more rounds of Peter getting sick, we got everything ready for Christmas Eve.
When the kids woke up the next morning, all seemed well.















And, it stayed well.  Praise the Lord!  So, we had a fun little breakfast.


And, someone stole a few of Rudolf's noses before the boys could see.  Luckily, they were replaced before hell broke loose.







Then, we played and played...and ate lots of bland food just in case.







We got Sophie a pair of overalls for Christmas, and well, I think they're the cutest thing ever.


Poor little Genevieve was basically quarantined for two days...on her first Christmas.  I think she got a bit lonely.  So, we had lots of extra snuggles in the next few days.




As the day drew to a close, we made a cake for Jesus' birthday...




And Sophie tested the batter...




Look at that manger scene, ha!  I know, real talent there.


Then, we called it a night.



It wasn't what we had planned.  But it was still so, so good.

Christmas: Papa and Elley's

Well, after we celebrated at Mimi and Pops' house, we made our way to Papa and Elley's.  And there, we were able to see my wonderful sister and her family, and the boys were in Heaven!  It was the first time we had seen them since August.

Kolbe Hoss was in the middle of it all, just taking everything in...


And, it was their first time seeing Genevieve!








The boys helped everyone unwrap their presents, but John Paul needed a mouth full of gummies to do so (thanks Aunt RoRo!).

Sean and RoRo got Sophie a cap...





Sweet, sweet Kolbe.

The boys were so excited to finally have watches...and they feel so grown up!



Midway through the festivities, Sophie took her shirt off, and she's done it every day since.  Yikes.




She was distraught that the sink didn't have real water.  She just kept looking at it with her hands up, a confused look on her face and the word, "oh??" on repeat.


Changing him into pjs that matched the cousins (that I didn't get a picture of).


Boxes are always the most fun...



Practicing for when we get more snow...



Why do the holidays always pass so quickly?!  I guess it just means that they were good.  Really good.