Our Christmas

This year was different from all years past. I think that's a good thing. We learn to appreciate the little things more. It's not always the same.

I was determined to enJOY the holiday season; to not feel stressed out. Stress takes the fun out of everything. Gift giving wise, it was a smaller Christmas than ever before. Yes, the kids did get underwear and shoes. I don't think there was even a HINT of technology that was unwrapped. And that's okay. We were all together; that's what truly matters.

Here are few pictures from around my house:

 

 

We hosted not only the extended family for a Christmas party, but also my parents and grandma for Christmas. We had such a blessed season!!

Christmas Spirit

While I am not overdoing it, I can say that the Christmas Spirit is alive and well in my heart and in my home this year. I am trying to enJOY everything, to take it all in.

We are still 9 days away from the big day! I know the littlest kiddo in my house is exrtemly exited. The other two are gearing up towards Finals week (this week)... and then looking forward to their Christmas break.

I am hosting our extended family Christmas Party this year, so I have some work to do. Thank gosh I believe in magic! ;)

P.S. If you aren't following me on Instagram, please feel free to @jaime_queenofthecreek

Our Very Merry Christmas | 2012

I like to think that everyone enjoyed their Christmas this year. While it was the first without my grandpa - and that was hard - we still were blessed to have my grandma join us again for Christmas morning. As per usual, Mom made fab food and I provided the OJ. ;) Okay, I did make breakfast burritos.

If you remember last year - we had a new puppy for Christmas (well, we got her the week before). She's now a year old and still so cute. She's the lighter one and Ellis is her sister (not real sisters, but you know what I mean).

To add to the fun, my parents brought along their new puppies!! Jack B (as in Jack Bauer, as in 24) and Zoey are about 8 weeks old and are lab mixes.

They went in for Zoey - and came out with Jack, too. Jack was the runt of the litter, and they couldn't pass him up!

All-in-all, people were spoiled, loved, and filled with Joy. Which makes for a pretty perfect Christmas.

Spreading some Holiday Cheer

While I enjoyed Thanksgiving, I am glad to be moving on. Although, December is a crazy month for us. Do you have one of those months in your family?

Nic's birthday is on Sunday, mine is on Monday, Marcos' is on the 12th, our 18th wedding anniversary is on the 16th, then there is the family Christmas Eve (what I like to call Christmas Adam) on the 22nd, the real Christmas Eve on the 24th and then Christmas Day on the 25th. Of course, then there is my aunt's anniversary on the 21st and my grandparent's on the 22nd (missing you, grandpa!). Then throw in wrapping parties, cookie exchanges, my neighbor's daughter's bridal shower and wedding - yikes!

Whew. I am just glad I remembered all of that.
With all of that said, I am not ready to put the tree up yet. For several reasons. The first is that Nic's having a birthday party on Saturday, here at the house. I want to celebrate his special day before we celebrate Christmas! ;) Second, I *just* completed my formals... why would I want to move things around now? I need at least a week of good, clean, fun. ;)

However, that doesn't mean I can't get my mantel and bookcases all dolled up.

I pretty much reused everything I had from years past. The Elf is new... and so is the reindeer glitter art, which was so easy and sits in a dollar store frame.

I printed off a picture of a reindeer from Google, traced it and filled it in with Elmer's glue and then sprinkled red glitter all over it. The tree art on the right is a gift bag from the dollar store... I just cut out the front and put it in the frame. Here are some posts about easy, cheap, Christmas crafts.

Even my couch is getting in the spirit. For now, anyway. This sweetie will have to move and make room for our faux evergreen come next week. I love my new pillow case from IKEA. Mr. and Mrs. Clause... and some random kids/elves/hired help. Did the Clause's ever have kids, do you know?!

That's it for now... just a little holiday cheer popping up here and there.
We are looking forward to two new holiday traditions we are starting; meeting our new Elf {on the shelf} and also our advent calendars! Yum, 25 days of chocolate. ;)

Do you  have any special holiday traditions?

We had a Very Merry Christmas

Our Christmas was wonderful. We celebrated it on Christmas Eve since Marcos had to work on Christmas day. We started dinner a little too late, so we opened presents first... then ate a fantastic roast at nearly 9pm.
Guess what?! Roast tastes the same, no matter what time of day.  We didn't complain.

The theme this year was bittersweet; not really a theme. But this could possibly be my grandfather's last Christmas with us - all we wanted to do was spend time with him and to let him know just how much we love him. Our gifts to grandpa were thoughtful and things to be considered his favorite {a years supply of chocolate covered raisins, anyone?!}

The kids made out... Alex with mostly clothes and gift cards. Isabel received a beach cruiser, clothes and smelly girl stuff. Abby lucked in an "owl" kind of way, from posters to pendants. And Nic. Dear little Nic... got too many Legos, another Buzz, and everything else on his list {the original copy, not the one he kept adding to up until we started opening presents}.

Marcos went ALL out and bought my a Kindle Fire. iPad what, what?! Who needs an apple when you can play with fire?! ;) Dude. Amazon should pay me for that slogan, really.  I love it. A lot. The Kindle, I mean.

I got Marcos some clothes and a new Fossil watch.  Oh, and we replaced our old, broken {thankyouverymuch,nico} Wii with a new, sleek, black one. And our most important present of the year?! A new Weight Watchers scale {for the body, not for food}. Lordy, the new year's resolutions start soon!

Here is our tree before my parents and my grandparents brought over their gifts for everyone.

And here it is after. No, we aren't hiding 15 other children. I promise.

Here's Nic and his Spanish speaking Buzz.

The big bike, being opened by Isa... Except we told the kids it was a TV for the neighbor, George {we don't have a neighbor named George, I don't think} to throw them off. We even added a fake tag.

We had a lovely Christmas...
But now... it's packed away. I went from 3 bins to 5. And really, I could use another. So many decorations.
I am slowly trying to get the house back in order... to get us ready to start 2012 off right!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!!

MeRrY cHRisTmAs

It's Christmas Eve...
"Santa's helpers" were up late last night doing the things they do so well.
The husband actually has to work on Christmas day, so we are moving our festivities to tonight.
Explain that to a 5 year old.

 

Can you believe that these presents are just from the husband and I?

My mom and grandma will be bringing their loot later.

Crazy.

{Now taking donations for my light bill}

That big one, up there in the picture on the left?! Yep... that's not for me.
:(

The stockings are all hung... but we won't get to those until tomorrow morning. We figured we'd leave something to do on Christmas day. We still have items to add to them...

Off to get a ton of baking and cooking done. My grandparents and my parents are coming over for dinner and then it's *present time!!*

See you on the other side...
:)

Ho Ho Ho

A Christmas Poem for you...

These are the days when you need a little Christmas cheer...

a reminder of why we do what we do at the end of each year.

 It's not about the table settings or the presents,

it's not about the tree or the sparkling ornaments.

This is a time when there's talk of joy, peace and love...

But really, it's not about caring or giving or any of the above.

Instead, dear family and very dear friend,

it's truly about embarrassing your deserving children.

One day, they too will laugh.

:D

Enjoy!

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Christmas Party 2011 {National Lampoon's Theme}

Lordy, Lordy - you are going to regret the day you asked to see picture of our family's Christmas party.

Oh. You *didn't* ask to see pictures of our family's Christmas party?

Well, now that I've mentioned it... I can't be rude. Take a peek over my shoulder as I flip through the memory book.  The Christmas Vacation theme was perfect... and everyone played their part.

Thankfully, Uncle Eddie was kind enough to remove his shoes before entering the house. You know, since his RV was *out of order* and all?!

I took a ton of pictures... I wanted the memories captured.

Look at the rug on my grandpa's head. Seriously.
:D

Some family shots...

Some food shots... Yes, the pic on the far top-right is the green Jell-O... with simulated cat nip. 

Some tender moments. Left is my cousin Laurel and her two daughters, Sela and Ryah. Top right is my cousin Bri, her son Ben and me. And the bottom left is my cousin Chell - talking with her son Austin.

We decided to *only* do gifts for the kids this year. Here are a few great gift opening shots...

We had 13 kids there.

Here are a few pics from around the house & party.

Even the guest bath saw some decorating action...

Here is my super simple holiday art...

My cousin Jason...

Look at this VINTAGE tree skirt. I have it folded in half {there was no way I was going to try and lift the made-up tree high enough to get this baby under it.... we will use it next year!}...  $1.99 from Goodwill!!

I could take a million pictures of our tree. It makes me happy. And giddy.
Like a school girl at an Elvis concert.

 

The winners of the Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest, you ask?!

My cousin Chell and her fellas. She made ALL of those lovely shirts. I didn't get this at the party, but looking at the picture now, look.... it's Santa and then some reindeer. Like, they are pulling Santa. She's a clever one, that Chell!

What I don't have pictures of:                                                                                               

• My awesome singing and dancing performance during our Christmas Carol Karaoke... Not sure what happened to that footage.
• All of the food I ate {and kept going back for}.
• The lingering family members, with their perfect kisses and super-tight bear hugs.
• My heart - FULL with love for the people who I get to share my life with. God is good.

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