It's that magical time of year!
Santa came last night....
Other than getting to play the role of a parent, the second best role is playing Santa and keeping the magic alive inside of our kids; the same magic are parents instilled in us. One day our kids will pass this on to their kids and they will also pass along a lifetime of memories.
Rewinding back to Christmas Eve.... The kids and I spent the morning cleaning (fun right? Well it had to get done) and we organized a bit to make room for the toys Santa would be bringing (if Harrison made the good list---which has been questionable for the last month :).
Daddy got off of work at 12, this boys napped and we spent the afternoon playing hide and seek Elf on the Shelf. If you don't own this game....GET IT. Best hide and seek games for kids that you actively play with the kids while you cook dinner, fold laundry or any of the other 100 household chores that need to get done.
After dinner both boys hopped in the bath tub... All that was heard coming from the bathroom was the chanting of reindeer names. Next they threw on their Christmas jammies and slippers. I quick printed a Christmas Tree Light Scavenger that I found on Pinterest. Man, that site is awesome!!! If you follow me on Facebook we do 2-3 pins a week in our house. I have the question... How do you have time to all of these crafts/projects? Really the key is to planning and our boys continue to prove that structure and activities make their world better and my world better. Some days... OK, A LOT of days I feel like all I do is referee between the kids. Someone took something from someone, someone hit someone, someone isn't sharing, someone is teasing....I think you get my gist! This is why this Momma pins and why I plan our days, especially close to the holidays that despite Santa is watching, those unwanted behaviors tend to be at their max.
Next we popped Movie theater butter popcorn, two bags to be exact (might as well go big or go home). With blankets in hand, popcorn and our list we set our in the four wheel sleigh for our first ever Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt. This kids LOVED this for a while anyways :) About 45 minutes into the drive we lost them to the movie Toy Story (they are both currently obsessed with Woody and Buzz). Doug and I were determined to make the last few checks on the list but came up short without being able to find a house with only green lights as well as finding a joy sign and peace sign. It was disappointing to come up short and we probably wouldn't have given up if we didn't have two kids in the car with us up WAY past their bed times.
When we got home the boys excitingly discovered that T-Rex (Elf on the Shelf) filled their stockings with candy, toys and other small trinkets. As a kid, one of my favorite memories is opening up our stockings. This was the one thing we were allowed to open until our parents and siblings got up. And the years our parents included our favorite 12 pack of pop next to our stocking was a HUGE deal in the 80s/90s. Pop was a luxury practically...now we don't even think twice about opening a can, but we as kids would grab our 12 pack and take it back to your room to hide it from your siblings. So obviously a BIG DEAL.
The night ended for the kids as I read the Golden books "Santa's Workshop" and "The biggest most beautiful Christmas tree (I practically that this one memorized as a kid). Santa was left 3 cut out cookies (decorated by Harrison himself) as well as 3 spritz cookies and 9 baby carrots (for the reindeer) and off the kids went to bed and Doug and I kicked back to watch some DVR while we waited for kids to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Lastly it was our turn to play Santa. Just like an assembly line Doug filled up the laundry baskets with toys from the basket and I tucked the underneath the tree. If you noticed from posted photos we just used plain white labels and wrote either a H:for Harrison or a M: for Miles on the Santa gifts. This really simplified with openings gifts for a 5 and 2 year old, we highly recommend you try it!
After munching on a few carrots and devouring the cookies Mr. and Mrs. Claus were exhausted and ready for bed.
A late bedtime made for a later morning. It doesn't always work that way, but in this case it did. The boys didn't stir until a few minutes before 8. Then I heard Miles who was insistent on waking up his older brother that soon, we were all up.
I have to admit that I raced in front on Harrison on the way downstairs in attempt to see if I could get any "first reactions" to what Santa left. After the first 5 clicks being a complete blur I stumbled upon this little gem. This one is definitely a favorite of mine from today...that smile is the whole reason behind Christmas magic.
I took about a bazillion photos today since it was first time in a REALLY long time that I pulled out the camera at home to capture my family. The best thing about these photos besides the little men in them is that these don't have to be completely in focus, the colors can be off and I not spending hours editing them. They are just perfect the way they are.
A game of Kurplunk. Tomorrow is the rematch.
Santa came last night....
Other than getting to play the role of a parent, the second best role is playing Santa and keeping the magic alive inside of our kids; the same magic are parents instilled in us. One day our kids will pass this on to their kids and they will also pass along a lifetime of memories.
Rewinding back to Christmas Eve.... The kids and I spent the morning cleaning (fun right? Well it had to get done) and we organized a bit to make room for the toys Santa would be bringing (if Harrison made the good list---which has been questionable for the last month :).
Daddy got off of work at 12, this boys napped and we spent the afternoon playing hide and seek Elf on the Shelf. If you don't own this game....GET IT. Best hide and seek games for kids that you actively play with the kids while you cook dinner, fold laundry or any of the other 100 household chores that need to get done.
After dinner both boys hopped in the bath tub... All that was heard coming from the bathroom was the chanting of reindeer names. Next they threw on their Christmas jammies and slippers. I quick printed a Christmas Tree Light Scavenger that I found on Pinterest. Man, that site is awesome!!! If you follow me on Facebook we do 2-3 pins a week in our house. I have the question... How do you have time to all of these crafts/projects? Really the key is to planning and our boys continue to prove that structure and activities make their world better and my world better. Some days... OK, A LOT of days I feel like all I do is referee between the kids. Someone took something from someone, someone hit someone, someone isn't sharing, someone is teasing....I think you get my gist! This is why this Momma pins and why I plan our days, especially close to the holidays that despite Santa is watching, those unwanted behaviors tend to be at their max.
Next we popped Movie theater butter popcorn, two bags to be exact (might as well go big or go home). With blankets in hand, popcorn and our list we set our in the four wheel sleigh for our first ever Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt. This kids LOVED this for a while anyways :) About 45 minutes into the drive we lost them to the movie Toy Story (they are both currently obsessed with Woody and Buzz). Doug and I were determined to make the last few checks on the list but came up short without being able to find a house with only green lights as well as finding a joy sign and peace sign. It was disappointing to come up short and we probably wouldn't have given up if we didn't have two kids in the car with us up WAY past their bed times.
When we got home the boys excitingly discovered that T-Rex (Elf on the Shelf) filled their stockings with candy, toys and other small trinkets. As a kid, one of my favorite memories is opening up our stockings. This was the one thing we were allowed to open until our parents and siblings got up. And the years our parents included our favorite 12 pack of pop next to our stocking was a HUGE deal in the 80s/90s. Pop was a luxury practically...now we don't even think twice about opening a can, but we as kids would grab our 12 pack and take it back to your room to hide it from your siblings. So obviously a BIG DEAL.
The night ended for the kids as I read the Golden books "Santa's Workshop" and "The biggest most beautiful Christmas tree (I practically that this one memorized as a kid). Santa was left 3 cut out cookies (decorated by Harrison himself) as well as 3 spritz cookies and 9 baby carrots (for the reindeer) and off the kids went to bed and Doug and I kicked back to watch some DVR while we waited for kids to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Lastly it was our turn to play Santa. Just like an assembly line Doug filled up the laundry baskets with toys from the basket and I tucked the underneath the tree. If you noticed from posted photos we just used plain white labels and wrote either a H:for Harrison or a M: for Miles on the Santa gifts. This really simplified with openings gifts for a 5 and 2 year old, we highly recommend you try it!
After munching on a few carrots and devouring the cookies Mr. and Mrs. Claus were exhausted and ready for bed.
A late bedtime made for a later morning. It doesn't always work that way, but in this case it did. The boys didn't stir until a few minutes before 8. Then I heard Miles who was insistent on waking up his older brother that soon, we were all up.
I have to admit that I raced in front on Harrison on the way downstairs in attempt to see if I could get any "first reactions" to what Santa left. After the first 5 clicks being a complete blur I stumbled upon this little gem. This one is definitely a favorite of mine from today...that smile is the whole reason behind Christmas magic.
I took about a bazillion photos today since it was first time in a REALLY long time that I pulled out the camera at home to capture my family. The best thing about these photos besides the little men in them is that these don't have to be completely in focus, the colors can be off and I not spending hours editing them. They are just perfect the way they are.
Christmas morning 2014
I don't care that they aren't technically babies any more... These 10 piggies are still so sweet!
Ok... The wrapping paper fight was a blast!
A box! A box! I am so glad his toddler Santa wishes came true!
Sometimes you just have to bring in the heavy machinery to get the job done.
These buildings/houses are AMAZING from Lake Shore Toys. We ordered the Community Building set as well as the Block Homes and a set of these vehicles. But really Santa wants just about everything from the Lake Shore website. Check it out...You won't be disappointed and just Google discount codes---there are a bunch! What I love most about these toys is that they encourage imaginative play... Imagine something without batteries these days, right? We really limit TV time and ipad time and I am SO GLAD WE DO! Love these images below---he got creative and put the trains from train table together along with people standing and trees growing out of roofs and my favorite of all is the ice cream truck driving on top of building... It could happen right?
Keep coloring outside the lines.
Keep coloring outside the lines.
A crazy Violet...
This kid loves his Ninja Turtles! And this is freaking adorable.
To my mom: I may have doubted your fashion sense more times than I can count (especially as a teenager)...but little did I know just how fashionable this sweater would be in 2014.
P.S. It even still smells like your perfume.
...
This is an authentic 1990s Ugly Christmas sweater. Thanks again MOM!
A game of Kurplunk. Tomorrow is the rematch.
This guy is turning into quite the "Spy." How AMAZING are his new night vision Spy Goggles? AWESOME.
And last, but not least... Violet's official Christmas Portraits.
Merry Christmas Christmas!
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