Christmas 2016 - Part 2

Back with more holiday cheer, Christmas and cookies!

The girls LOVE to bake and help make just about any recipe.  Caleb had one request for Christmas this year - spritz cookies!  We broke out our trusty Cooky Book and got to work!

After we made (and ate) spritz cookies, the girls moved on to gingerbread men cookies.  I don't own a rolling pin (not sure why), so we had to improvise and use a wine bottle.  No judgement, it worked just fine!

After baking, the kids got busy decorating.

Impressive gingerbread men skills, no?

Finally, Christmas Day had arrived!

This year I bought the kids monogrammed stockings.  They kept turning while I was trying to snap a picture.  We even bought mini stockings for Molly and Icky.  Olivia picked out a stocking with an L on it for Logan. For those of you who may not know, we sadly lost Logan this summer.  It was the saddest weekend ever for our household and boy, do we miss that little guy.

Icky loved all the treats Santa brought for him.  For as naughty as Icky can be, we are not sure why Santa brought Icky so many treats!

The kids' favorite part of Christmas is standing really close next to each other to take a picture.  In fact, they asked me to take lots and lots of pictures.  OR, they begged me NOT to take a picture of every. single. present.  I can't remember which...

Trouble.

Molly had to lay right in the middle of all the fun.

Chad and the kids bought this book for me.  We bought Chad flannel pajama pants.  Lucky man.

I love that Ella still loves her Barbies. 

We have been having more family game nights and are so glad Santa brought the kids a new game each.

This girl was so excited for this particular gift.  She has been wanting this for a couple years now.

A My Pillow!!!

After all the presents were opened, the kids played with their new toys.

It is so funny to watch everyone while wearing Caleb's VR headset.

We made cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  A new recipe that we will definitely make again!

Olivia colored with her new colored pencils.

It snowed.  Again.

Molly LOVES the snow.  She is crazy in the snow!

I must admit, I do not love cold weather - but it is beyond pretty to look in your backyard and see this.

I sure miss my garden.  I will see you again when the snow melts... which will be probably be in June.

Olivia got a baking set and the girls made cookies, donuts and cupcakes.

The boys began building Caleb's robot.  This robot is pretty impressive.  I will show you when they are done.

It snowed some more.

Ella loves to lay in front of the fire.  So do I.

I did not do a lot of decorating this year.  I actually purged and donated over two bins of Christmas decor.  Less is more.  Chad found this table while buying something else on Craigslist and I painted it teal as fast as I could.  Teal is my color.  Teal is my spirit animal. Right, Mom?  

I love this tree and these ornaments.  They represent the twelve days of Christmas.

Martha Stewart made us a Christmas countdown.

I love this chubby little Santa.  So cute!

And would you just look at this?!  Each year I add their new Santa picture and the kids love to go through and look at all of them.  I adore this one.  My little babies are not babies anymore!  I sure miss those years. Sniffle, sniffle.

I don't think you have met Daisy yet.  She is our homeschool mascot and watches over the kids while they work.  She likes to dress up.  For Halloween, Daisy was a dinosaur.  

There you have it.  The holidays in a nutshell!