Other Christmas Break Fun

Saturday, December 26th - Such a beautiful day! We went on a hike.

The kids loved climbing up on all the rocks. Beautiful views! A perfect day - December 26th and no coats!

December 29th - We used some of Kevin's Christmas gift cards from school and picked up lunch from Fuzzy's. Then, we dropped Jenna off to play with Madilyn while the rest of us enjoyed a day with Papa and Mima. Kevin and Kellen had the best time playing "rope."

And, Papa taught Kellen how to play checkers.

Whitelaw Christmas

 

Sunday, December 27th - Whitelaw Christmas

Geremy led us in some singing and "church" time. Then, we enjoyed a delicious lunch - all the Thanksgiving foods that we missed out on when we couldn't be together for Thanksgiving due to Heather, Garrison, and Kevin having Covid.

Family pictures!

Mima made pjs for all the grandkids

Fun times with stockings and presents!

White Elephant Gifts!

Playtime with our new things

An epic few rounds of Glow Battle

Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit - so fun!

And laughing until we cried playing Telestrations! It was a Merry Christmas!

Christmas

 

Christmas Day - We had a quiet day at home. PJs all day. Egg casserole and cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

Santa came - the kids were good this year!

Stocking fun

And sibling love

Something you want

Something you need (heated matress covers - opened Christmas eve)

Something to wear

Something to read

Some games

And a movie. Kellen just read Prince Caspian. I bought this for us to watch on the way home from Kansas (except we didn't end up going).

Mid-morning, we enjoyed a zoom call with all the family that would have been together in Kansas. (I forgot to grab a screen shot of all of us.) We really missed being with them in person this year, but the call together was good.

Kellen requested Chip Chicken for Christmas dinner. I added mashed potatoes, gravy, stove top, & green bean casserole. For dessert - Happy Birthday Jesus cupcakes and Cherry Cheesecake Pie. And our last Advent devotional.

We had a fun game of Glow Battle throughout the house. And finished the evening by watching Elf. A quiet, but happy Christmas!

December

We enjoyed our new Christmas tree.

And Advent devotionals.

And these new outside lights were cheery!

The kids had fun all season with these elves at Mima's house.

Saturday, December 5th - Annual gingerbread house decorating with Mima! And decorating their tree.

Sunday, December 6th - Possibly the best day of the season - piano recital! It was so wonderful to hear them play. They both played beautifully.

The theme was Holiday Smash. Kellen played "Creepy Conversation" (Halloween) and "Jingle Bells."

Jenna played "Danny Boy" (St. Patrick's Day) and "Walking in the Air" (Christmas).

We made the best of our second 24 day quarantine from school (due to exposure to Kevin's Covid). We kept Kellen's new Avengers Monopoly game out and he and I would take a few turns in between school subjects.

Wednesday, December 16th - We picked up Peppermint milkshakes from Chick-fil-A and drove around to look at Christmas lights.

Thursday, December 17th - Kellen was so excited to be able to go back to school the next day (for one half day before Christmas break)! He got the idea that maybe he could play some Christmas songs on his ukulele during his class party. We asked his teacher and she said, "yes!" So, we printed out some songs, he practiced at home. And then, he practiced for our family at Thursday night dinner. How I wish that I could have gone to the party to watch him!!

Monday, December 21st - We loved watching the convergence of Jupiter and Saturn - "The Christmas Star"

A local photographer posted this amazing photo. It was also really cool that our Truth in the Tinsel Advent devotional theme for December 21st was "The Star."

Tuesday, December 22nd - House cleaned, laundry washed, cinnamon rolls prepped for Christmas day, groceries purchased, presents wrapped. Now, time for basketball!

Wednesday, December 23rd - Jenna and I enjoyed a baking afternoon with Mima. When we got the mail, my Christmas gift from work had arrived. Kevin and Jenna did a drumroll like the Griswolds - super funny! I had planned on surprising the kids with hot chocolate bombs made by my friend in Wichita. But, plans changed and we didn't go to Wichita this year. I had looked a locally for some, but didn't trust local makers like I trust my friend. So, when I opened my gift from work, I was pleasantly surprised to find these hot chocolate squares (I knew about the cup)!

Thursday, December 24th - Christmas eve - Kellen really wanted to open a gift early. So, we FaceTimed with Grandpa and Grandma and opened their gifts. Kellen LOVED his book and spent hours studying it.

At 4:00 pm, we went to Papa and Mima's house and enjoyed a Christmas Eve service all together with dinner after. Then, we watched the DCI Cadet's show from 2012 "12/25." A great Christmas show!

When we arrived home, one of the kids' Christmas presents that I thought wouldn't arrive until AFTER Christmas had arrived!! It was a perfect gift that they could open early and enjoy - their "something you need" - heated mattress pads for a warm Christmas eve slumber!