merry christmas

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year (aside from having to see Santa)!

Christmas Eve we hosted our families annual Christmas party and it was especially nice since it was our first Christmas in our new home. So much better for gatherings! I intended on being a super host and having the place decorated to the nines. It ended up being decorated to the threes. In addition to my 4 year old dusty and falling apart miniature tree's from Target the fanciest lengths I went to were candy cane striped paper straws and green glittery plastic-ware. Family: I apologize.

Home Alone Shirts

Seriously though, that picture of the girls.. I asked them to smile and Piper put her arm around Kennedy and pulled her closer to her. I almost died.

Around 10pm when most of my family had left and Piper was put to sleep, Kennedy and I stayed up a little later to make Santa some sugar cookies. BECAUSE DUH, isn't it best to have the cookies made mere hours before Santa's arrival?! 

The fun part is always making sure the cookies are properly frosted. Kennedy went entirely overboard with the sprinkles, but that was to be expected and it only makes it that more festive, eh? It was needed since she was against wearing her Christmas jammies.

Wahoo! Now it's time to set out the milk and cookies! Sorry Santa, we were out of 2% that's why you got some of Piper's almond milk. I KNOW, I don't know how she tolerates that shit either. 

I let Kennedy do the honors of setting out the cookies which meant most ended up on the floor outside the fireplace after sliding off the plate. Now to wait for Santa. Yippee!

Santa is one of the things that I think is just so magical about childhood. I was a firm believer in Santa - probably way longer than I should have been, but hey! I had a good Santa growing up. Our tradition was that the gifts from Santa were set-up under the tree or next to the fireplace. No boxes, no tags. Why on Earth would The North Pole have a box for a Barbie? Last I checked the Barbie was crafted by Elf, not Mattel, Inc. JUST SAYIN'!

Oh, look he stopped even though we were so late getting to bed! Why didn't I take a picture of Piper's little haul? Exhaustion.

CHRISTMAS MORNING!

We all slept in. Brendon's brother rang the doorbell at 9:30a to bring the kids their presents and we jumped out of bed Home Alone style. Well, Brendon did and he proceeded to get Kennedy out of bed.

Brendon: "Ken, it's Christmas!"

Ken: "Okay."

B: "Uncle Derrick is here with presents, and Santa came!"

K: "Just a few more minutes......"

Kennedy got her Easy-Bake Oven like she requested and Piper got a nifty Little People Zoo set. The gifts from us weren't too flashy as they (Kennedy) didn't have a lot they asked for. Besides the Easy-Bake Oven, Kennedy had been asking for a 'cam' for months on end. Pure happiness when she opened it! She's now been taking pictures of everything and is constantly begging us to put the waterproof case on so she can dunk it in the fish tank. Yayyyyyyy.

It was so much fun with Pipes this year. She was so interested in opening presents and shredding the wrapping paper and tissue to bits. Her only hang-up was loving each present so much that she wouldn't want to go onto the next. Not the biggest problem in the world.

And present opening turned into a fun game of jungle gym.

After opening gifts at the house we got all fancified to make our usual rounds of family time. Oh, this means great photo opportunities?! Hell no.

First we headed to my mom's, then to Brendon's aunts. It always makes for a busy, family filled day that has us crying for our beds by the end of the night. We got home early enough this year that we were able to try out the Easy-Bake Oven. All I have to say is that they have greatly improved since I was a kid, and Kennedy loved every second.

Our tree is already in the garbage.

Leia