Christmas Afternoon/Evening

We wrapped up Christmas at home and got to Mentor at 1 to celebrate with my side of the family! We started with eating some pasta/salad/bread and then opened presents which is always fun and takes awhile! Everyone was so generous and it's always fun to see what gets picked out for everyone. The rest of the night was filled with cookies and candy and games!

 

Christmas Morning!

Paige wanted to start the day off early and woke us up before 8 but we convinced her to give us another hour and we started things around 9 instead. We started off with stockings, like usual, and the cats went cray for their new catnip carrots! They were fun to watch for awhile. Then we all grabbed a cinnamon roll and started in on the presents! 

 

Christmas Eve

This year, everyone was healthy so we didn't have to wait a month to celebrate Christmas with Pat's family! We kept up with our soup tradition and made the same three as last year followed by lots of cookies and tea ring, which was brought by Pat's mom. Then we opened presents and started to play a game but got distracted by watching The Grinch movie. It was really good but made everyone super sleepy and some of us actually took a short nap:)

Table setting

Getting ready

This picture is a litle dark but we were taking pictures of our bows!

I think we were playing Uno here

Napping

Family picture to finish out the night

 

Gingerbread Houses

Last year we decorated gingerbread cookies but this year we went back to houses! Next year I might have to make sure everyone has their own frosting tube so we can all work at the same time. Even though really you need to wait for the frosting to harden before moving on and not everyone has patience for it and their house collapsed...(Owen...). Either way, it's fun and we laughed a lot so I think we need to keep up the tradition!

 

Nutcracker

Paige was cast in Snow for Nutcracker this year! It's a beautiful part that comes right at the end of the first act with snow falling from above and the dancers flitting in and out and around the stage. I was so excited to see her do this part and she did an amazing job! 

 

Birthday/Baking

Happy Birthday Mom!! We gathered to celebrate and bake some cookies last weekend! Pat and Owen had to leave early for his game and Paige was sick but I'm so glad we still fit it in. I was able to stay a normal amount of time and we even got to come back late that evening after Pat's car didn't have enough charge to get to a charging station! We ate pizza and made Christmas monster cookies. I liked them so much I might make them again before Christmas! My parents had also got some crafting kits so we got to make trees and gingerbread people! So fun!

Ready to bake!

Talking sports

Playing Uno

Owen approved of the cookies

Close up!

I don't know but Owen was probably asking grandma for some snacks

Crafts!

Opening gifts with a politician pose

Zsaz got sleepy

Bakers!