Great Grandma Betty's Christmas

We had Mike's Grandma Betty's Christmas on the Saturday following Christmas.  We decided to nix all the presents this year and just enjoy games, food, and time together. 

Betty with her brood of great grandkids!

Isa and Gigi had some good chats.

The kids decorated sugar cookies.  Apparently I took zero pictures of Zayden doing his - he not only decorated his but ate every single one while I wasn't looking.  Awesome.

We did Saran wrap ball, which seems to always be a hit, and the kids especially enjoyed playing hard all day!

Christmas at Papa Curtis's and Grandma Num's

After Christmas morning at home, we headed out to Papa Curtis's and Grandma Num's.  We were the first to arrive, as per normal, but soon aunties and uncles and sweet cousins arrived!

These boys....

We had a yummy brunch of breakfast pizza, sausage, monkey bread, and bacon and the kids played while we all took our turns filling up.

Showing Nannie their Game Boys.

When everyone was filled up, we opened stockings and then gifts.

16 stockings this year...

In no particular order...

A Playmobil bus for Theo...he loves playing with Playmobil at our house.

Easy to use accessible kitchen tools for Natalee...

Joint gifts for these little two...a Kindle...

and an Osmo!

A scratch off map of baseball parks for Lance...
He was able to scratch 9 right away...now he has a mission to visit the rest!

A new daily carry work backpack for Mike.  He wanted this so badly and he already has it packed!

Rain gear for Colby...

A game for Xavier...

Apparently I missed getting a picture of Emma!  Boo.

Our kiddos got experience gifts from both aunts/uncles...

from Nannie & Vance the little 2 got gift certificates for Build a Bear and the big 2 got gift certificates for Cinemax.

from Lauren and Lance they all got gift certificates to the Quincy theater.  We already have our shows picked!  We're going to Stuart Little and The Boxcar Children in 2019!!

For my birthday, I got 2 metal chairs for our dining room/school table, and for Christmas I got another 4.  Our wooden chairs were breaking, wiggling, and many of us were sitting in folding chairs.  It's so nice to have matching, sturdy chairs around the table again!  I also tried out my new french press coffee pot this morning - I think I'm in love!

Other memories from the day....we played games, played toys, ate too much, and had so much fun.

Potty party for these orneries...

Natalee tried out her new kitchen tools...

 

Always with Apples to Apples.  Natalee will beg until someone plays - usually me, dad, and her brother.

Checking out the Osmo... (Theo got the little white table and chairs.)

Daddy and Mia playing dollhouse...

Papa got a new rolling garage stool and the kids all loved it.

 

Our new hoodies!

The day was full of fun and love but it always goes too fast!  We're so grateful for family to build memories with!

Christmas Morning

Mike and I stuck firmly to the 4 gift rule for the children this year.  They all bought each other a book, meaning they had 3 sibling gifts also, to open on Christmas morning.  I feel like sticking to the 4 gift rule has helped me to focus in on each child and choose items they'll really enjoy instead of overwhelming them with too much.  It's also been a slimmer budget year, so this helped us spend wisely and carefully. 
We do the rhyme
Something you want
Something you need
Something random
And something to read

The original rhyme is "something to wear" instead of "something random" but buying each child something to wear has proven difficult for us in past years because
 - one of our kids doesn't care at all about clothes
 - we do minimalistic clothing, which means I refuse to buy excess just to fulfill a rhyme if they have all they need.  Ha.

This year, as it worked out, 3 of our 4 did get something to wear but some years it doesn't.  Something random gives me freedom.  (wink)

Anyhow...
Christmas morning was really just kind of simply lovely.

Chore gloves...

His own fidget spinner!

Band-aids for her doctor bag.

Mia took this picture of her daddy.

Breyer horse

NATALEE....

{want} Spirit horse/rider set

{need} PJs

{random} Shopkins pocket toy

{read} Free Reign chapter books & an Usborne sticker book

XAVIER

{want} Game Boy

{need} Light Tracing board

{random} slippers, stocking hat, character boxers

{read} Bear Grylls books 5-10 and an Usborne sticker book

AMELIYA
{want} game boy

{need} Shopkins pocket toy

{random} Melissa and Doug Diner set

{read} Magnetic Phonics set & Usborne sticker book

{favorite book from Xavier - it has a necklace}

ZAYDEN

{want} Medic Rescue Bot

{need} sweat pants & Dizzy Super Wing

{random} Playmobil bus

{read} ABC train floor puzzle & Usborne sticker book

{sibling gifts} Super Hero books from Xavier

both girls chose PJ Masks books for him

The kids took time to enjoy their stocking stuffers and gifts.  A couple curled up with new books.  Everyone played with the Spirit horse set, and the middle two thoroughly enjoyed their Game Boys (even though they are older, yard sale finds, instead of new, "state of the art" ones).  After our morning together we got ready to go to Papa Curtis's and Grandma Num's for more fun and celebration!