Christmas Time is Here!

We did our annual 24 days to Christmas countdown again this year.  We had to change things up a bit because we had Tae Kwon Do during the week.  We decided to stop taking at Master Hong's studio around the middle of the month, so we could have done a few more things, but I got pretty sick with a nasty stomach flu, so we just did simple things with the kids and it seemed to go well.  I really lacked enthusiasm for the countdown this year.  Hopefully things will be different next year- and by different I mean better, 'cause it will always be different.  This December has been kind of dull for me.  I didn't feel really 'Christmasy'.  I wasn't all "Bah humbug!" but I wasn't all "Merry Christmas" either.  It was kind of a weird year for me. 

We had a party with Ed and Madeleine Giles.  It was a great evening.  We had stir-fry with sticky rice and pot stickers.  Then we put on a play of sorts about The Christmas Carol. It was fashioned after the Jib Jab website style.  We each took turns saying the parts for the different characters.  We played a game of "If... Then..." where you write an if/then statement on separate papers and mix them up before reading them aloud.  We did some holiday Mad Libs and had dessert (caramel corn puffs, fudge and cinnamon almonds). 



Ed (Jacob Marley), Madeleine (Ghost of Christmas Future), Seth (Tiny Tim), Mark, (Bob Cratchit), Paul (Scrooge), Jane (Ghost of Christmas Past), Daniel (Ghost of Christmas Present). I was the narrator and photographer!



Ed and Madeleine



Paul filling out the Mad Libs

Mark got to spend Christmas in California with Daniel's parents, so we said goodbye to him on December 19th.  Janet and Les were in town for their daughter's wedding (Jenny married Nelson Torres) so they flew to CA with Mark.  He will fly home by himself, but I'm not too worried about him being alone now that he knows how the airports work. 


Paul, Talia, Seth, Mark



Les, Janet, Jane



Our family picture for 2012

Christmas Eve:
It had snowed, so we went outside to shovel the driveway and sidewalks after dinner. I love having a white Christmas!


All ready to go! Yes, Jane is wearing a skirt to play in the snow!



Seth and Jane making snow angels



Daniel hard at work



Paul



Look!  It's me!  I realized that the coat I am wearing is very old.  I bought it when I was in the 8th or 9th grade. I paid $20 for it at Kmart.. I wore this coat when I was in college and I still enjoy wearing it.  It is really warm!  It is weird to think that I have owned the coat longer than I haven't owned it (22 years)! 



After the work was done, we played.  Daniel buried Paul in the snow!

 

And then Seth wanted a turn to be covered!



And then Jane wanted a turn to be buried!  (I had no desire to go next!)

 

After we warmed up with some hot cocoa, we visited with Mark and the gang through Skype. 

Janet and Les had a full house for Christmas!  They had 9 guests!  I sure that it was crazy and fun!


Chris and Megan (Danie's brother and sister-in-law) came over on Christmas eve for some sweet potato pie and to play some games and visit.

 

We open one present on Christmas Eve.  Jane got a stroller for her doll.  She wouldn't hold still long enough for me to get a good picture of her and the doll!  (That Cabbage Patch Kid is the one that I got for Christmas when I was 7!)

 

Seth was going crazy chasing Jane and the baby around with his sword!



Christmas morning



My parents came over to visit



Seth and Daniel- SuperMen indeed!

Daniel surprised us all with an X-Box and the Kinect system, so we spent a lot of time playing the games (after Dad spent a lot of time getting it all hooked up!)  I pretty much rocked it at the Dance Party game, but didn't do so well at most of the other games! 



Jane had a lot of fun playing with her little kitchen set.