Wednesday, December 28, 2011

K Family Christmas

After spending a fun week with my mom in Los Angeles, we all boarded a plane and flew back to the bluegrass state for two weeks of relaxation chaotic Christmas preparations and celebrations.  It was a whirlwind of cookies, Southern Lights, presents, music, decorations, and lots of family time (with an emergency room visit, a fender bender involving a neighbors car and a certain sister of mine, and a sick kiddo all thrown into the mix).  

It has been so nice to be home to celebrate the most exciting holiday of the year.  Now it is time to put away the decorations, throw the tree to the curb, and send all of our new toys back to California, where we are heading as well on Saturday morning.  Goodbye sweet Kentucky home.  We are counting down the days until our spring break visit in March.




Stasia and her friend helped me decorate this year.  We got the entire house decorated in about five hours!  It usually takes me two or three days on my own.  I've found that things move a little faster when I force myself to let go of my control issues when it comes to decorating.  I had Stasia and her friend decorate the tree entirely by themselves and I never moved one ornament to a 'better' spot - I didn't even touch the limb that held three ornaments all by itself (I'm guessing that Abby had something to do with that). 



Abby and Nolan were dressed in their Christmas best for our annual Christmas Eve visit to Mammaw's and Pappaw's house.  As you can see in the picture, Abby was very excited to be wearing her Christmas attire, while Nolan was only enduring it.  He refused to wear his dress shoes, and so I allowed him to wear his Spiderman shoes.  See?  Letting go of my control issues means less tears for all of us.  




Making cookies in Mammaw's kitchen.  My mom doubled the recipe, which ended up making about 633 cookies.  She just barely had enough platters to hold them all!  She has a lot of platters.





My dad feeding the dogs.  They got turkey stuffing added to their food from a muffin tin as their Christmas treat. 



Mom's dining room, decorated for Christmas.



Nolan watching television in the living room.



Abby checking on the cookies.



Nolan and Abby decorated the cookies.  Nolan only lasted about five cookies.  Abby went much longer but couldn't complete the entire cookie marathon.  By the end of the baking, mom and I were the only winners left coating the cookies with sugary icing.





Uncle Aaron stopped in for a late Christmas Eve visit.  Nolan was so excited to see him.  



Nolan putting together a Hero Factory toy.  He had a Hero Factory and Ninjago Christmas, which was great for him, but meant hours of lego building for Robert and I.  Oh, and sore feet from stepping on all of the lego pieces scattered all over the floor.  Very sore feet.  And a few bad words that the kids may or may not have heard.  









All of the wonderful gifts left by Santa Claus!



Walking to the living room to see what Santa left.  They slept until almost 9:00!  Thank you Pacific Standard Time!







Stasia spent the night on Christmas Eve and helped with preparations for Christmas morning.  After the kids opened their presents she fell asleep on the couch for about five minutes before being attacked by Abby who wanted her to open a box. 





It was a good Christmas.