Christmas 2025: Part 1

 Christmas 2025

I want to always remember the magic of Christmas with littles in the house.  There's so much anticipation and excitement and festivity.  I love the concerts and the music playing in the kitchen and the candles and the decorations and all the traditions.  I even love wrapping all the gifts, though that's quite an endeavor in this season, but as I scrolled through the photos this year I couldn't help but also remember all the nonsense.  So I'll share that as well.

Christmas Programs

MAGIC

Evie

High School Christmas Party

NONSENSE

These kinds of things happen pretty regularly and make me crazy.  My ever generous son, who shall go unnamed, volunteers me for something like say bringing pizza for his entire flight team a few days before Christmas break without mentioning it to me.  Of course I'm free to run to Costco. Should be no problem.

Oh wait I guess he's no longer unnamed :)

Appointments in December

NONSENSE

These are the kinds of things I literally write down these days because I will immediately forget and some of my children will to.  SOoooo....  I honestly couldn't tell you what this means right now but this was a reminder of how the rubber bands on one of their braces were suppose to be hooked.

Hair appointments?  Why?

"Mom, don't forget to write down what conditioner she uses."

Cute Girls

Date Night

NECESSARY

Christmas Sing Along

MAGIC

I've said this before but this is one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  Its sweet little calm before the last day of school and all the parties.  Singing together and hearing a story read by Mr. K.

Last Minute Christmas Shopping

NONSENSE

I mean I'm happy to do it but these last minute things because I forgot until the last day before break will make me a little crazy.  Especially when I'm uncertain of what I'm shopping for and having to text photos to verify. 

Kindergarten Christmas Party

MAGIC

Aubrey

Maddie

Washing the Dogs

NONSENSE

And necessary I guess.  They do stink and its muddy out there.

Walking the Refuge

MAGIC

When you get a beautiful day with a little sun on Christmas break you gotta enjoy it.

Class Projects

NONSENSE

These boys of mine are CRAZY I tell you, CRAZY!  

Christmas Legos and Decorations

MAGIC

I bought these little Lego sets on Temu a few years ago as stocking stuffers.  The kids opened them at the beach house and I had no idea how tiny the pieces were and how hard it would be to put them together.  I thought for sure they were going in the trash but they stuck with it and the older ones loved the challenge and its become a fun tradition.

Daddy's Birthday

Happy Birthday Brandon!

When you're the grown-up you don't always get celebrated but this year we really tried.  We celebrated Brandon's birthday with carne asada, mocktail margaritas, chips, salsa and his favorite cake.  We sure love Brandon and appreciate all he does to care for us every day.  Though regularly exhausted on our behalf he continues to work hard so that we can enjoy so many things.  He's the fixer of all things broken, the builder of our beautiful home, a master griller, a scone connoisseur, a baseball coach, a constant comedian, a protective father and husband, and a goat doula.  It's all in a days work when your the father of 7 I suppose.  Seriously though we're so very thankful for him. 

Storybook Land

 Storybook Land

It's been many many years since we've visited Storybook Land.  In fact the last time we went was the year we moved to Oregon.  We were living at the dairy that Christmas and went a few days before Christmas.  All I remember was a very long wait in the rain with littles and being very cold.

This time we went much early, on a much warmer day with a much bigger family.

Maddie loves stuffies.

Aubrey found Grogu.

Sesame Street

Noah's Ark

There's a 1st time for everything.