Christmas with Family

After our morning of Christmas fun, we headed over to Michael's grandma's house for lunch.  Olivia couldn't wait to open presents!

Michael's grandma puts little baggies/stockings on the tree.  We pick numbers and then choose a stocking off the tree.  Each stocking has money in it.  The little kids got their own little money holders.  Olivia was proud of her $10!

Michael's cousins decided not to exchange gifts between the adults, but rather to buy for the kids.

The kids played with their toys and colored during the afternoon.

After most of the people left it was time for round 2!  Logan and Olivia got to open presents from their grandma!!

Don't mind the marker on Logan's cheek... he got a cap off of a marker (and has done it at home multiple times since. ugh!)

On Friday we loaded up after lunch and headed to Ft. Wayne where most of my mom's side of the family lives.  We met my cousin Erica and her kids at a play place on Friday night.

Then on Saturday we headed to my mom's house for the family Christmas.

The kids got to open even more presents...

and eat a bunch of junk food. (Olivia anyway)

Logan crawled around playing, attempted to climb the stairs every chance he got, and avoided being held by anyone that wasn't mommy or daddy.

Olivia got to play with my cousin's kids.

We always stay with my grandma when we go back.  Olivia has grown to really like going to Gigi's house.  (She use to be more stand-offish, but now Logan takes that role.)

Logan still keeps his distance, but I'm sure it won't be long before he warms up to it all and is asking to go to Gigi's house too.

That sums up our Christmas.  We are back in town.  Michael is back to work.  The Christmas decorations are down and put away.  Now we just have to find a place for all of these toys!!

Christmas Morning

Because of Logan's morning nap and trying to get ready, packed up, and out of the house for lunch across town--we had to wake Olivia up on Christmas morning to do gifts.  She hates getting woken up, but eventually decided to come down and check things out.  The first thing she did was take the phone off Logan's Santa toy, grabbed an Ariel toy from her stocking, and then assessed the cookies.

We had to point out her Santa gift, but she was pretty happy to have gotten what she asked for PLUS a new princess doll on each bed!

Logan went right towards his Santa gift.  He walks really well with it, too. I think it is his favorite gift.

Logan got Olivia a Barbie car.

And Olivia got Logan a toy smart phone

Each year Olivia gets a Disney movie to add to her collection.  This year she got Sleeping Beauty, which she has been asking to watch for weeks.  She was very excited.  Logan is going to get Pixar movies and he got Cars this year.  They also both their ornament.

I think they had a good morning.  After all the presents were opened we went upstairs for a yummy breakfast.  Logan went to bed for his nap and Olivia got to watch Sleeping Beauty.  Then it was off to the first of two family Christmases.  More to come.

Christmas Tree Alphabet Match Up

This project (from last week) is brought to you by Pinterest!

Between wrangling a 10 month old, preschool, babysitting, Gigi's, and just house stuff... I've been slacking on the learning activities.

So when I saw this simple little letter match up, I jumped on it!

Although those little dot stickers were harder to find than one would think!

Stickers and a Christmas tree... Olivia was IN!

There were a few of the lowercase ones that she acted like she wasn't sure about.  It's always hard to tell with her if she really just doesn't know them, or if she is being difficult.  I didn't help though, and she figured them all out.

Of course it promptly went on our fridge when she finished.

Advent Activities--Day 24!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We made it through all 24 days of our activities!  There were a few days that I did just want to skip, but I pushed through.  I think it was a fun month for all of us.

Michael had to work on Christmas, so we didn't do anything fancy during the day.  We had a normal Wednesday for us--laundry, cleaning, and playing.  Olivia and I did do a Christmas I Spy during Logan's morning nap and a Christmas Veggie Tales was watched as well.

Another outfit from my sister.  It's a little big, but it looked Christmas-y so we went with it.  And he can stand on his own as long as he doesn't know he's doing it! :)

We ate dinner when Michael got home.  The plan then was to make and decorate cookies.  Michael took Logan up to get his bath started and Olivia actually fell asleep at the table!  I thought our whole plan might be ruined.  I ended up rolling out the cookies and cutting them out myself.  She woke up after about twenty minutes.  She's always so crabby when she wakes up.  We ended up doing her bath.  She sort of got a second wind, so our festivities continued.

First we made reindeer food.  She poured some oats and glitter in a bag and mixed it up.  Then we set that aside for later.

She was so excited to decorate the cookies.  She chose a tree first.

She might have helped herself a little bit. :)

Sprinkles!

Then we took the cookies downstairs and set them by the fireplace. (Mommy carried the milk!)

Then we went outside to leave the reindeer food--carrots and oats (with glitter so they can see it!)

Olivia went to bed and Santa showed up!  He even left behind some of his glittery white snow from the north pole!

Christmas morning Olivia looked at the plate and said, "Mommy, Santa didn't eat your stocking.  What a waste." and then promptly took a bite. :)

I grew up without Santa.  Michael grew up having Santa as one of his fondest childhood memories.  It made Christmas magical for him and he really wanted to do it with our kids.  So in our house Santa brings what you ask him for (within reason) and fills the stockings.