WOW - Did we have an awesome Christmas WEEK! I am so far behind in blogging that I thought doing one long (!!) post about our Christmas would be the best way to catch up!
Our Christmas Week...
MONDAY
We started with some fun in the first real snow of the year!
Snow Angels...
My grandma sent me an adorable Christmas letter and included a recipe for sugar cookies in it. She doesn't like to travel and we don't see her often enough, so when I read the part of her note that said "Make these cookies and maybe I can come try them in person..." I held her to her word, even though I knew she was joking! Sammi and I made those cookies on Monday and on Tuesday Dan and I drove to Cincinnati to pick up Grandma and bring her back to Indy to spend Christmas week with us! It was the best gift to us to have her with us!
TUESDAY
Dan and I spent the morning at IKEA and the afternoon driving Grandma back to Indy. Although I don't have photos, we had a marvelous time catching up!!
WEDNESDAY
We brought the sugar cookies to mom & dad's to decorate! (Unfortunately all the photos from Wednesday are my grandma's so she's not in any of the photos!) She definitely helped us decorate (and eat)!
As a gift to us, that night mom and dad took Dan and me and Jordie and Ashley to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and it was awesome!!!
THURSDAY
We were off to bake, bake, bake again all day! On the trip to Indy, grandma mentioned that her all-time favorite cookies were the ones from the recipe on the OLD box of Quaker Oatmeal, which she's never been able to find since they changed it. Thanks to our trusty friend, the internet, we were able to find that recipe for her, and of course we had to make the cookies for her too!
Thursday afternoon we headed to my parents' for our official Christmas and were greeted by this miniature snowman! :)
Sam walked in to see all of the presents...
But she was sad that she had to wait to open them until after dinner!
She enjoyed all of her presents...
And Natalie mostly just stood on hers!
Grandma's gift...
The only photo I have of her this Christmas! Love you, grandma!
Natalie was wiped before our night ended!
FRIDAY
Well, "Friday" technically started on Thursday eve when we prepared for Santa to come to our house!
All that cookie baking, and we TOTALLY forgot to leave some cookies at OUR house for Santa!!!! Whoops! No worries though, Sammi instead rummaged through the pantry and picked out all of her favorite snacks for him.
Santa came, and Santa liked the snacks! He left the girls a note and these presents on our child-proofly-decorated tree! (No ornaments lower than 3 feet!) *Note- we are also waiting on furniture to arrive for our downstairs....it's not always going to be so bare! Should be here any day!
The girls got candy canes on their doors and came down to find their presents...
Sammi's favorite... candy necklaces in her stocking!
Another favorite... her own pink chap-stick, just like she asked for!
A present for Sammi and Daddy who both LOVE Spongebob...
Natalie figured out how to open presents pretty quickly...
...but I think she still enjoyed climbing on them more than anything!
Our house was a colorful mess!
SATURDAY
On Friday night we drove to Fort Wayne to spend the weekend with the Brand family! Christmas was full of gifts and spending time together. It was relaxing and wonderful!
The kids did their gifts first and then took naps while the parents exchanged!
...And, once again, Natalie showed off her climbing skills to the Brands too.
Seeing (Great) Grandma Brand is always a treat!!!
Dan playing his new PS3...this was just the start of many late nights avoiding work and cleaning! I'm not sure I approve of this gift! :) (JK - he LOVES it though!)
SUNDAY
Sunday wrapped up our Christmas extravaganza by attending the extended Brand Family Christmas Exchange!
The kids draw names ahead of time and exchange...
And the adults buy a generic gift and do the "open a new gift or steal another until it's been stolen 3 times" game...
It was especially nice to see (Great) Uncle Joe, a favorite uncle of all the Brand Family, and especially was a favorite of our girls!!!
Uncle Steve playing...
Uncle Scott is also loved by all the kids!
Grandpa Brand found one last gift!
Oh my goodness! It's "Sammikins"!
One last visit with Uncle Joe before he goes back to Georgia. He thought it would be fun to take Sammi out in the snow...in her BARE FEET!
....and, RIGHT back in!!!
We had an amazing week with lots to feel thankful for, especially all of the family to share the holidays with. We've already started our new year off busy, busy, busy....and we are looking forward to seeing where the wind (and our goals and dreams) may take us this year!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!
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