All Worth It.

Yes, on Christmas morning the living room is a DISASTER. With capital letters, just like I wrote em'. Usually I arrange everything back under the tree for "after" pictures before we head to my parents for the day. Not this year. Too much to do to get ready to go, so I left it. Unheard of. But after the big kids opened their gifts at Kurt's parents, I slipped out to straighten up the living room so there would be SOME semblence of normalcy before the little boys begged to have every new toy opened RIGHT NOW.
The whole holiday season is a lot of work, no getting around that. Stressful, yes. But all worth it when we get to see the smiles and hear the giggles and feel the hugs of grateful, happy children =)

To Grandmother's house we go!

To continue our Christmas day, after opening gifts at home, we head off to Grandma and Papa's house! The boys always head right for a "vintage" (read: OLD) Fisher-Price little people house. Don't ask me why! While they do that though, the rest of us enjoy Mimosas and New York coffee cake =) That's the prequel to our customary lunch of London Broil with twice baked potatoes!
The gifts were fabulous, of course--the little boys got monogrammed bath towels from Lands' End, Parker added to his full-zip hoodie collection, Arielle got a watch she was hoping for, Kurt had a duty bag picked out from Galls and Momma (along with the other girls) got fun new slippers---and boy did I need some!!!!
We break away to get the big kids over to Kurt's parent's to open their gifts (since they miss out on Xmas eve) and Arielle continued to expand her Vera Bradley collection while Parker can help anyone in need with a portable battery charger--among other things!
I know I said it before, but it bears repeating--we are a very fortunate bunch of people!

Santa found us!!

Oh boy, did he ever!! After coming home from Grandma and Grandpa's, it took a bit for the boys to settle--they KNEW what happens next! The big kids were at their Dad's, but they always sleep at home on Xmas Eve =) I try to wait to do what I need to (they don't like to see anything until morning), but since Parker got an Xbox, that was entertaining them a little too late!
Kurt and I woke up at about 7:15 in the morning and made some noise to get the kids moving--right into chaos, HA! We had VERY happy people here =) Beckett loved his Imaginext space station set, the Toy Story 3 things he got, his hot wheels track and so much more. Paxton could not grin any bigger than he did when he opened his Hogwarts Express Lionel train set! He was very happy with his lego set, Thomas playset and everything else, but it was obvious which was his favorite!
Parker got a TomTom, some clothes he asked for, a car repair and more. Arielle asked for some Vera Bradley pieces and ended up with several! She also has a trip to Coach coming and got clothes as well as other goodies. Kurt received all of the Sherlock Holmes DVD sets he asked for as well as some books he'll enjoy reading and more. I was shocked to open a Nook!! Kurt totally surprised me with that one =) He picked a darling case for it as well. I also got my Nurse Minnie watch I was hoping for as well as many other lovely things =)
We are a very fortunate family, this I know!

Our Christmas Eve

OK, I should have been posting as these days went along, but frankly--I was too exhausted at the end of each of them--I was happy to get my contact out and wash my face!! So you get whammied now =)
Christmas Eve is spent with Kurt's family. A little smaller gathering in years past, but no less special. We have snacky-type foods and PUNCH (me loves a good punch!) and open gifts at our own pace. The little boys make it a hilarious evening and they did not dissapoint this year either. Beckett went bananas over his new Spongebob fuzzy jammies and pushed his new fire-fighter themed shirts away with a "never mind". Paxton was over the moon about new lincoln logs, the Batcave trio blocks set that he begged for and his much-desired Lego airport set.
The adults were spoiled as well, not to worry =)

Yogi Bear

We took in a pre-christmas movie tonight--Yogi Bear =) Highly recommend it, very cute. Even Mr. "I don't want to go, I'd rather stand here in the driveway and throw a hissy fit" Paxton had to agree that it was a winner. Or in his words "hilarious". But hey, a big tub o' artery-clogging movie theater popcorn with a fountain pepsi and a few of my favorite guys and I'm there no matter what's up on the screen!!!

Christmas Card 2010

Kurt got me a scanner/copier/printer for my B-day, I need to download the disc to my laptop so I can show you better pictures of pictures!!
Until then, this is the card we sent out of the kids for Christmas (because who wants to look at us?!)

Got Bento?

or something along those lines! In the course of my blog-hopping, I've come across some wonderful ones where the Momma's post the daily lunches of their kiddos. Not just any ol' lunches mind you. These are based on the Japanese style of lunch-packing where everything is packed in a neat/fun container, all visible to the child at once, readily available to dive right into. No opening up little packages/zip-loc baggies of the lunch components, possibly never getting to the healthy items that you tucked in there.
There are TONS of containers designed just for this trend, some Mom's get VERY creative when they put these together--me, not so much, HA! I just use some Ziploc brand containers I got at Walmart and I usually pack mine and Beckett's lunches this way.
Tomorrow Beckett requested a ham sandwich (he has kids with peanut allergies in his class and since they eat IN the classroom, they are asked not to bring the ol' standby of PB&J), some potato chips (which I do put in a baggie so they don't get soggy), yogurt (before I put the lid on, I place a square of waxed paper over this section so it doesn't spill into the other sections), I chose some animal crackers and a string cheese for him and he'll get milk once he's at school.
I use these too--it's MUCH cheaper than running to the deli at lunch, plus it's too flipping cold in WI to go out it you don't have to, AND I usually study at lunch so having it with me gives me more study time. I'm having a chicken breast sammy on a sandwich round, underneath is an already peeled orange in a baggie, some Pepperidge Farms pretzel crisps and animal crackers for me too.
Do a google search for Bento and you'll be amazed at the talent/creativity of lots of Mom's out there!!!

C is for cookie....

and/or candy--which is what was happening around here this afternoon!! We made "heat and eat" cookies from Pillsbury, cut-outs, spritz, peanut clusters, fudge and pretzels coated with almond bark!! The big kids were a huge help, the little boys--not so much! Well, scratch that--they did play elsewhere for most of the time, so I guess that WAS helpful, HA!!
Santa will have something to nosh on in LESS THAN A WEEK!!!

Dollar Store Decorating

For the most part anyway!! Our mantle is nothing to write home about, I actually do not like how much wall space our fireplace consumes and don't get me started on the knotty pine yuck that composes the face of it. But my husband loves himself a fireplace and I love him, so there you have it!
For the bulk of the year family photos and candles span the length on the mantle, but now that it's Christmas I thought I should play up what I've been handed right? Enter a trip to Dollar Tree and literally 30 minutes of time and what you see is what you get =) The glassware came from DT or Goodwill or was repurposed from elsewhere in the house. The green garland and ball ornaments I purchased after Xmas last year for 80% off. The Pottery Barn deer in the center is a gift I received a few seasons ago and the candle holders all came from Goodwill. Not that I can actually light them since they are tucked into the greenery (me thinks firefighter husband would NOT understand!)
It got a thumbs up from Arielle =)

Beckett's Holiday Concert

Tuesday night was Beckett's 4K Holiday Concert. They "got to be on the stage at Parker's school" (aka high school) and he did a FABULOUS job. When Paxton was in 4K it was NOT happening--he's a very different little boy now though!
He said his favorite part was singing Jingle Bells and ringing the tiny little bells as they walked into the auditorium. He sang all the songs, did the motions that went with them and looked like he had a good time doing it too =)

Wordless Wednesday