Through Mom's Lens

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Day 358

M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S E V E!

Our extremely full and blessed day started at MiMi's house celebrating Christmas with my grandparents!

Then we went to JC's parents' house and celebrated with his family. We had a delicious meal and of course opened presents!

Next we attended our church's Christmas Eve Candlelight Service where Brendan and Jackson served as ushers.

Then we came home and ate dinner and made Reindeer food. After sprinkling the Reindeer food, setting out Santa's cookies and milk and magic key, and finally, Santa Mouse's cheese, JC read The Night Before Christmas and Santa Mouse!

Of course, JC's all-time favorite Christmas movie, It's A Wonderful Life was on the tv!

Another favorite tradition is that the kids get to open one present each on Christmas Eve night before they go to bed.

This year they each got a cross with a special verse! Brendan's is of course, the baseball home plate. Jackson's is the soccer cross, and Emma's is a porcelain cross with her first and middle name hand-painted.

Emma's verse is Numbers 6:24; Jackson's verse is Psalm 96:12; and Brendan's verse is Phillipians 4:13.

Jackson has been sick this Christmas with a nasty cold. He actually started the going to bed process voluntarily, poor thing.

Finally, all the kids were asleep, and Santa was able to work! :)

Day 357

More Elf Shenanigans:

Day 356

More from the Christmas ornament making...

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Day 355

On Sunday, we went to church, and then I wrapped presents for the kids while JC put together one of their Christmas presents. We got them a Springfree trampoline for Christmas, and it was delivered on Friday in 4 HUGE boxes. JC put together a Survivor-style scavenger hunt for all three kids. They got a letter when they solved each clue. The letters spelled out the word TRAMPOLINE. It was fun watching them run all over the house trying to figure out the clues.

On the way home from church, we stopped by Starbucks, and I saved my peppermint mocha for the afternoon. I put it in my new Starbucks mug and topped it with whipped cream and peppermint sugar! It was a fun afternoon of listening Christmas carols and wrapping.

Day 354

On Saturday, we did lots of baking for the neighbors, and Emma and Jackson built a gingerbread house!

This is one of the desserts I tried. I got the recipe from Pinterest. Obviously I nailed it! Haha

And here is the gingerbread masterpiece. I was so busy in the kitchen that I forgot to snap photos of them decorating it.

I love how it turned out!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Day 353

Friday before Christmas, we had some friends over for desserts and cocktails. I set up an ornament craft table for the girls to make some homemade ornaments.