Holidays Part IV - Christmas Eve

 The weekend before Christmas, our family plus Uncle Tim got busy making Christmas cookies and treats.  Mommy, daddy and Uncle Tim made Chocolate Mint Brownies, Bourbon balls, Super Dupers and Corn Flake Wreaths.  The girls made Reindeer Munch.

Kaitlyn and Madelyn break apart the pecans for the reindeer munch.  

Reindeer Munch Recipe:

Popped Popcorn - 3 100 calories bags or 7 cups
1 cup pecans, broken into pieces
1/2 cup raisins or dried cherries
1 20-ounce bag mini marshmallows
1 stick of butter
Chocolate chips and M&M's

Instructions:  Preheat oven to 250 degrees.  Line a large baking pan with sides with parchment paper or tinfoil (spray with Pam).  Mix the popcorn, pecans and dried fruit in a large bowl.  Meanwhile, melt the marshmallows and butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Start at 70% power for 1 minute. Go to 30 second intervals until melted and almost boiling.  Immediately pour mixture over popcorn, pecans and dried fruit. Mix well.  Pour on baking sheet and place in oven.  Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 15 minutes.  Allow to cool on sheet and break into pieces in air tight container.  Add M&M's and chocolate chips.  Leave out for reindeer.

Kaitlyn is ready for Christmas Eve service.  We captured a few family shots before we left.

 Love this picture with Uncle Tim!!

 Daddy and Uncle Tim got ready to make Latkes.  The corned beef was nearly and smelled delicious!!

Kaitlyn took this picture. 

The girls enjoyed a Super Duper cookie after dinner.  We also watched one of our Christmas DVD's.

 Part of our Christmas Eve tradition involves opening one gift before bed time.  The girls were so excited to finally open a present!

Kaitlyn received an American Girl doll from her Gamma Linda.  As you can see, she was very excited.

 Madelyn received a miniature American Girl doll from Gamma too.  Now she can be like her big sister!

 Kaitlyn got the plate ready for Santa and his reindeer.  She selected a nice array of cookies for Santa along with some vegetables and reindeer munch for his trusty helpers.

 Kaitlyn drew a picture for Santa.  Clearly Santa isn't a big celery fan.

Holidays Part III

Kaitlyn requested inviting Mrs. Donna over for a tea party a while ago.  I finally got organized and we arranged for a holiday tea party with Mrs. Donna and Mr. Wayne.  Granted, the girls actually sat down, drank tea, and nibbled on snacks.  The boys served us while catching glimpses of an NFL game.


After our tea party, Mrs. Donna gave the girls some early Christmas gifts.  One gift was the Elf on the Shelf movie (to go with the Elf she and Mr. Wayne gave us).

Mrs. Donna watching the Elf on the Shelf movie with the girls.  

A couple days before Christmas we opened gifts from Gamma Linda, Pa Clinton, Aunt Niki and Uncle John.  Here are some pictures of the girls and their new toys...

Kaitlyn and Madelyn went for a ride on Rudolph afterwards.  Madelyn tried to capture the moment.  

Holidays Part II

 Each holiday season we try to decorate a gingerbread house.  One evening while daddy was away on work travel, the girls and I got to work.

I'm not sure if the girls put more candy on the house or in their mouths...

This gingerbread house came with the Rudolph characters, including the Abominable Snow Monster.  The girls loved it!!

Oops, busted eating candy again. 

Happy Holidays Part I

 We started off the holiday season with a cookie decorating and exchange party for Kaitlyn and her friends.  In all, 15 kiddos joined us at the beginning of December for the party.  All the kiddos behaved so well and shared in each activity.  I was so impressed and awed by this sweet group of kids.

Here is the festive table and all of the cookies and icing mommy made (most of the cookies were homemade).

 

We had lots of choices for cookie decorations. Mommy's favorite were the candy eyes.

Kaitlyn's ready for her party!

Upon arriving, each kiddo decorated a cookie box with markers and stickers.

 The kids eating lunch and decorating cookies.

We had a few munchkins that got their own table and decorating station.

 The aftermath of cookie decorating.  Fifteen kiddos full of sugar and happily playing in the house.

 Kaitlyn and Madelyn enjoyed the party immensely.  It seemed like our guests did too.  We'll be sure to do it again next year!!

Dancing with Daddy

Over Thanksgiving weekend, daddy built a fire and started playing Christmas music.  Here's a short video of daddy and Kaitlyn dancing.  I feel very fortunate to get to enjoy moments like this one.