I have felt a little out of it this season. Many regular traditions haven't seemed to happen as usual. For example, we didn't get our tree Thanksgiving weekend, and we didn't participate in Operation Christmas Child at all this year (gasp, I know). I also just started shopping, which sadly is a usual thing for me, but adds to my feelings of not-with-it-ness.
Since moving back four years ago, we have also gone to my parent's farm to decorate for Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend. That didn't happen this year either, (and my Dad even made a comment to a friend that he was "on his own" to decorate this year), but thankfully we were able to go the next weekend and help him out.
This is becoming a special tradition for us. Our first two Christmases back my mom was doing chemo therapy and often tired. This Christmas and last it has just been my dad. I wish this tradition started under much different circumstances. The time home is sweet though and hopefully can bring some joy for Dad during the month and the whole family on Christmas Eve.
We went after Matt got off of work on Friday. It was after 7:00 p.m. when we got there, so we ate some pizza quick and got to decorating the tree right away. My dad had already brought it up stairs and assembled it, so we just got to do the fun stuff!
My sister Brenda and her family came to help as well.
(I debated whether my sister would want a picture of her in her pjs posted...then decided that at least they were cute jammies and it would be fine. :)
The girls were especially active in helping to decorate. I think Nathan was playing with my dad's latest purchase and shooting some bear with a ball gun. Evelyn was helping, but most often either trying to sneak a treat or snuggling on Papa's lap.
Poor Matt, I shouldn't do this to him. But, it's all for the sake of archiving, right?
Yes, Matt slept on the couch while we decorated the tree. In his defense, he usually wakes between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. on work days!
Sweet Adeline was a big helper. Though I would most often peg her as the "spirited" or challenging child, she is also the one most likely to dig in and start helping. She loves to serve, and I'm thankful that God has gifted her in this way! I look forward to seeing how this will continue and develop in her as she grows.
Once the tree was decorated it was time for bed. We made plans to decorate the rest of the house and get some Christmas baking done on Saturday.
I'm not sure why I didn't take any photos of the rest of the decorations. My mom used to go all out for Christmas. We usually had to take all the regular stuff off the walls and shelves and put it in storage for the month of December. Everything was Christmas. We've definitely stream-lined and simplified since then, but it's also much more decorated than my own home!
We had the decorating finished by noon, then lunch break and on to baking!
But, first this:
She has no name, but Evelyn and I loved her. She's the tamest of my dad's cats (most are just wild barn cats). My dad had put leftover pancakes and syrup out for the kitties to eat that morning, so I think she was in a bit of a sugar coma and even a little extra tame when we had her.
It was super tolerant of Evelyn and very sweet. She probably should have come home in our van with us. Matt however was not convinced.
My second sister Lynette also joined us Saturday to help out with the baking. As a team we made: peanut butter blossoms, reindeer cookies, peanut butter cup cookies, sugar cookies, peanut butter balls (we like pb and chocolate if you haven't noticed), Rolo pretzel delights, and almond bark pretzels.
Yummm!
Here's Addie and Auntie Nette dipping the pb balls.
Addie again was the big helper, she loves to be in the kitchen.
Our nephew Kendon also headed up making Nutter Butter reindeer cookies (different than the reindeer cookies listed above...we also apparently like cookies that look like deer).
It requires no baking, just assembly. It's a great project for little hands that want to help.
My sister put the frosting on each Nutter Butter and the kids placed on the M&M eyes and nose and the pretzel antlers.
Cute, right?
My sister was enforcing rules about allowable M&M color choices. I'm guessing those green eyes really bugged her...
We finished up in time for dinner, went out to eat with my dad, and drove back home Saturday night. It was a quick weekend, but definitely a fun and productive one.
It occurred to me on our way home that we just put all the cookies into the freezer and none of us sisters took any home.
So, bottom line is we have A LOT of cookies to eat on Christmas Eve!
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