Christmas at the Chalet

Christmas Eve is my absolute favorite day of the year.  I love the anticipation, the excitement, and the festive atmosphere.  I love hosting Christmas Eve and having the house full of people.  Mr. Man has a large extended family and I love them all.   There are cousins and mini cousins (kids of the 1st Cousins = mini-cousins) galore.  I'm not going to lie, Uncle Mike and Aunt Deb are my favorite, they are the most genuine people you will ever meet.  Remember, Aunt Deb made all those Christmas Outfits last year, which is my favorite gift.  This year, Uncle Mike showed up as an elf, complete with a crocheted beard!    

I attempted to make the "World's Best Turkey" again, and made quite a mess in the process.  It was worth it, the food was amazing and a team effort.

Mr. Uncle was back with us after spending some time overseas, and we were glad to have here at the Chalet. The kitchen was full of food and family, babies were being passed around, laughter abounded, and I just felt so lucky.  

 

Uncle Mike put on a magic show that entertained people of all ages.

 

We went caroling just like last year to the neighbors.  I think we look better than we sound, but the neighbors love it.   I think it would be so awesome if we recorded a Christmas Album, because it would be terrible and everyone would think we were seriously trying to sing well. It would make me laugh heartily.   

 

The stockings were hung, cookies were decorated, and prepped for Santa who was being tracked by Norad.

We took our traditional picture in front of the tree in our Christmas Jammies. 

 

 It always turns into a wrestling match with the kids because they are beyond hyper.  I love these wrestling pics the most more than the posed picture.  

I took a few minutes late on Christmas Eve to sit by the tree with a warm sleeping puppy on my lap and thanked God for the things in my life. The previous year I was grieving, anxious to put the year behind me, and hopeful for a better 2012.  This year has been good and I am overwhelmed with gratitude and feel so very lucky.

The next morning the kids were anxious to see if Santa had come. 

 

The kids ran in the room to see a plethora of gifts.  My favorite is Mr. Boy is on the ground hugging his "Halo" Action Figures, while sweet AK still tries to process that Santa had indeed brought her the horse she wanted.  

 

There were an abundance of gifts to open.

My very favorite was watching my kids with this gift.  Mr. Boy had decided to spend some of his hard earned money on a "really nice" gift for AK. He spent a good hour browsing Target.com and ordered this for AK himself.  He even wrapped it and was giddy with excitement the whole week leading up to Christmas.  

   

He knows her well, it was the perfect gift for her.   She loves it so much and Mr. Boy learned that it is better to give than to receive. 

 

.   Although, Zoey and the puppy wishes AK had recieved something else.  They don't really like AK's new dog that much

 

Mr. Man surprised the family with new matching outfits just in case we decided to become bank robbers.

 

In years past Mr. Man and I try to tone down the gifts and be reasonable. It never works, so this year we went all out. Hobbit Legos were the theme for Mr. Boy this year.  

AK got what appears of to be one of everything the toy store had. 

 

We played and lounged the rest of the day and when it came time for dinner, we dressed in our best new outfits to go over to Aunt Deb's for dinner.

I know what you are thinking!  Is that a turtleneck or a tank top?  And where can I get one?  This was another surprise gift from Mr. Man and they are indeed one of a kind.  I think Mr. Uncle wears it best.  Mr. Uncle is currently single, but with an outfit like that.... I don't think that will last for long!

I think this will go down in the record books as one of the best Christmas's ever,  filled with lots of laughter, and good times. 

Christmas Day 2011

Of course I think my kids are amazing, and I'm biased, but how many kids do you know that sleep until 8:30AM on Christmas Morning.  The kids slept in the same room on Christmas Eve, complete with their own tree and woke to a handful of small gifts under their tree. We heard them bouncing around and decided it was time to get this show on the road.

They have to stay in their room until we give the OK, I love seeing them so excited.

Baby Roller Hand must have been on the good list, because she got a few gifts from Santa this year. 

Mr.Boy has been talking about this crazy expensive Volcom Jacket for weeks.  I told him I can't imagine ever dropping that kind of cash on a sweatshirt.   What he didn't know was that I went to 6 different stores trying to hunt down the one he wanted in his size.  He was ecstatic when he realized what it was.

He immediately wanted to show it off and hasn't taken it off since...except to wear his Leather Jacket.  I swear this kid is going to break the bank with his clothing preferences.  Although... ahem... I may have the same taste. 

Last Year, ALL the cousins and ALL of AK's friends got an American Girl Doll for Christmas.  All of them, every single one, or so AK told us.  This year she asked Santa for American Girl Doll and a cup of her very own.  I have never been more stressed dropping a Benjamin on a doll, knowing it would be one she would hopefully have forever.  There are a crazy amount of options, and then for $12 more you can add this, or that, and next thing you know $100 turns into $500 worth of American Girl items and you can't figure out how that happened.  I swear there must be brainwashing. 

But all that anxiety disappears when you see her face when she realizes what she is opening.  Plus factor in the fact how much she loves Baby Roller Hand, and how Baby Roller Hand has been part of our family, including family portraits for the past five years, you know that AK is going to love this doll.   She has spent hours brushing "Madeline's" hair, and changing her outfits 100 times.  It was a good gift for her.

I got surprised with an iPhone which I have been drooling over for the last few months after my phone tanked.  I am in love with my new toy and Siri is my new best friend.

AK made out like a bandit and seems a little shocked at her giant stack of gifts.  Seriously, ever Christmas I say, "Ok, we are going to scale it back this year," and every year we don't. 

Mr. Boy got everything on his list too, plus some.

After the gifts were opened and played with, we were off to our Sunday Service.  I couldn't resist wearing my outfit made by Aunt D.   I love it and I can guarantee I was the most festively dressed person in attendance that day! 

 

I think I'm totally going to bring the fur trimmed skirt back.  Hang on let me dial up Vogue see if I can get them on board. 

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve is my favorite.  The anticipation makes me giddy.  In the midst of all my festiveness, I had grown a bit behind on my Holiday To Do Lists.  A batch of Christmas Cards would have to be New Years Cards and on Christmas Eve morning I found myself at Costco picking up the last of the goods for the next few days of entertaining.  While I felt like a last minute loser, I made myself useful by picking up items the neighbors needed for their festivities.  

Once the food was handled, we could focus on family and fun. Mr. Man & Mr. Boy played "Ping Dong*" in Mr. Man's new Garage-Mahal.  The Garage-Mahal was a byproduct of the big Cleanout of 2011, and now he has lots of space for manly things.  

*Mr. Boy constantly mispronounces or makes up words, and I love it. Fortune Cookies = Future Cookies, Moonhole = Moon Roof, Wonder Woven = Wonder Woman, Ping Dong = Ping Pong

Mr. Uncle arrived in time to join for afternoon cocktails of "Christmas Soda". 

Soon the mini cousins arrived.  (Mini cousins are Mr. Man's Cousin's kids)  Cookies were made for Santa, including a Darth Vader and a Yoda.  AK knows Santa is a big Star Wars Fan. 

We caroled in costume to the neighbors, who loved it!

The best part of the evening was the outfits.  When I was at White Christmas with the Extended Family, I joked that during the Finale, I expected everyone to come to Christmas Eve Dinner at my house dressed just like the dancers in the finale.  Big Red Fur Trimmed Skirts, muffs, and Santa Hats.   Ross's Aunt D, who is someone I aspire to be like, took the idea and ran with it.

 Her family showed up in costume and brought outfits for everyone in attendance.   It made my Christmas!  I couldn't believe she did that.  I had been joking, but we did look mighty festive in our muffs and fur trimmed skirts. I LOVED IT!  We even dressed Zoey up! 

Luke 2 was read and acted out by the children.... 

Santa was tracked by Uncle Mike, thanks to NORAD. 

 

After lots of laughter and good food, our guests went home and it was time to put our kids to bed.  I love our annual picture in Christmas Jammies by the tree.  The kids are always so excited that they wrestle each other instead of posing.  I love that their is a puppy in the middle of the brawl, it just is such a snapshot into our life right now. 

Then... All is calm, All is Bright.

December: Leading up to Christmas

I love Mr. Man, I do, he is loyal, dedicated, a great father, motivated, and the man does not know how to relax. He started his "vacation" with a bang and a plan, "Let's clean out the house!" 

I kept protesting, "Pourquoi? Mr. Man, it's Christmas!  I still have gifts to buy, to wrap, and baking to do."  Mr. Man assured me it would all get done and he was right, even though I threw several tantrums along the way.    We worked as a team and everything came together for the most part.  

The kids decorated Gingerbread houses while Mr. Man & I purged the closets. 

They turned out great, and the best thing I did this year was buy the ones that are pre-assembled, I'll have to remember that for next year. 

Mr. Boys looks a bit like it's frowning, but no worries it's actually a door with two upstairs windows. 

We took one day off and ventured to Universal Studios for the day!  It's just a stone's throw away from our house and we ended up getting passes for the year.   

So very fun, and a fun break from cleaning out closets.

My favorite was that they had an actual Kwik E Mart from The Simpsons. While the studio tour had some fun features, but it wasn't nearly as fun as hanging out with Mr. Man on the Warner Bros lot.  Even Mr. Boy said, "What we can't go into the soundstages? Daddy.. tell them it's okay!"  I don't think Mr. Boy knows that not everyone has a dad who works in the Entertainment Biz. 

One of the nights, Mr. Man arranged for a night out for me to see the musical, "White Christmas" with Mr. Mans extended family and cousins.  Ms. Cousin and I shared lots of laughs during the evening. 

One day Mr. Man and I split up the kids and went on our own "dates".   AK and I headed over to Nordstroms for lunch and some shopping.   We were on the hunt for the holy grail of all gifts for Mr. Boy and were coming up empty handed, yikes!

We attended my company Christmas Party, which I love because it is a family affair.  The kids love it because they get all the root beer they want plus gifts. 

Mr. Boy was hiding out under the table anxiously awaiting his gift. 

We ended the day with a marathon Merry Go Round session on this fabulous Merry Go Round that has Reindeer and Sleighs. 

The house was cleaned out and tidy, the holiday activities complete, the Christmas Cards were mostly out, gifts were purchased, and it was the evening of December 23rd.  Phew!  We had packed in the festivities!