Christmas 2013

Okay, so I'm trying to catch up here!  We came home from Pella on Monday, so we were home for Christmas Eve day and Christmas day.  We like to be home on Christmas (morning especially) to relax and open presents with the kids, and then we make our way over to my parents house for a meal and more presents.  On Christmas Eve, we attend a church service and then we engage in a tradition from my childhood....the reading of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't (by Ogden Nash).  My parents usually come over and we take turns reading parts of it.  It is actually a story written in poem form about Nicholas Knock, a seven-year-old boy, who goes on a journey to save the kingdom of Lullapat from a dark conspiracy. The king has been locked up by his nephew Evilard, who has outlawed Christmas, and it is up to Nick to save the day.  It's a cute story, and we hope to continue to introduce our children to it every year. 

Eden's eye was looking a little funny on Christmas Eve day, and by the time she got up from her nap, I was confident that she had pink eye.  After getting the kids dressed and loading up the car to go to church, we decided that Eric and Judah would go to the service, and I would hang out with Eden and Asher at a nearby Starbucks while the boys were at church.  There was no nursery for the kids that service (kids stay in the service), but we didn't want to unintentionally expose anyone else to pink eye.  So, while the boys were at church, Eden and I had some hot chocolate, and I was able to get a hold of the doctor on call and get a prescription for Eden's eye before the pharmacy closed.  Needless to say, not the evening we had planned, but Merry Christmas! :)

 

The three amigos dressed up before church

 

The reading of The Christmas That Almost Wasn't- We put Eden to bed since she had pink eye, so it was just Judah who heard the story this year.

 

Christmas morning-time for presents! 



I'm glad he was excited about the orange in the bottom of his stocking.  Was it just me or did everyone get a piece of fruit in the bottom of their stockings growing up?

Eden had matching pjs, but we had to change her pjs because she was a little wet when she woke up Christmas morning



A castle-just what he wanted!

Christmas Day at Grandad and Grammie's house-



Judah and Uncle Abe



Eden's first taste of champagne....JUST KIDDING...it was sparkling juice. :)



Asher was interested in the wine.  We start 'em young. :)  Again, JUST KIDDING, but this kid seriously grabs anything in his reach.



"It has a bit of a fruity aroma..."

Goofy kid



Yup, that's about right.



Talking to Eric's fam via facetime