Christmas 2011

Gosh, I have been very slack at updating the blog lately.  Take pregnancy and the holidays though, and that's what you get.  I thought I'd post some pics from our Christmas though, we had a very nice, relaxing holiday season.  Our celebrating started on Christmas eve at my in-laws'.  We had a nice evening with most of the family together, lots of good food and fun watching the kids open presents.

Cousins in their matching jammies from grandma.

Christmas day started off at our house with Mass.  We have established the tradition with the kids that we wake up and get all dressed up and go to Mass, and then Santa "comes" and leaves his presents while we are at Mass.  This works out really well, and I like how it places the first emphasis of the day on the true meaning of the season.

So after Mass the kids had fun opening their gifts.  They each get three gifts (just like Jesus did from the Magi), one toy, one religious gift and one educational gift.  This year we kept things very simple.  We are so blessed by the generosity of family and friends that it just (for the most part) seems silly to get the kids big, extravagant gifts.  Gemma got a wooden play-food cookie set, the book Blessings Every Day and an ink pad and some stamps.  Kolbe got a wooden tool set, a crucifix for his room and the book Bear and Ball.  They were very happy with their presents.

We spent Christmas afternoon and evening with my parents and family and had so much fun!  Seven children five and under!!

For Christmas this year Gemma and Kolbe made photo-frame magnets for their grandparents and godparents.

Our holiday celebrations ended with a day trip (about 6 hours in the car total, the kids did GREAT!) to visit my husband's extended family on New Years Day.  We had a lot of fun and saw a lot of people, but I forgot the camera, so no pics from that adventure.

We'll wrap up the official Christmas season by celebrating the Epiphany today, but I'll save that for another blog-post.

A blessed and wonderful 2012 to everyone!