Christmas Eve

Opening presents with Mommy.

Reading a book with Daddy.

Breakfast at McDonald's

We have a lot of family traditions, and there were a couple more traditions we did today. My Mom’s family has a holiday tradition of going to McDonald’s for breakfast the day after Christmas. (Above) Scott and Jen at McDonald’s.

(Above) Aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews all at McDonald’s for breakfast.

Celebrating Christmas with Scott's Family

Another thing we do every year is have Christmas brunch with Scott’s family. We usually have it the Saturday before Christmas, but this year it just worked out to be today. I always love this celebration with Scott’s family. We just relax the entire day, and since we don’t do it on Christmas Day we don’t have to rush off to another family celebration - we can take our time and do whatever we want. :)

(Above) Scott helping with breakfast.

(Above) Usually the guys end up playing computer games all day.

(Above) Everybody else usually watches movies. Looks like everyone is pretty tired from Christmas!

Home for Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas! Hope you did, too! Here are a few photos.

(Above) Christmas Eve with Jen’s family.

(Above) Opening presents at home. Alaska & Kira each got a stuffed hedgehog that grunts when you squeeze it.

Dipping Homemade Chocolates

Another thing my family always does at Christmas time is make homemade chocolates. Everybody brings something to dip, and we spend the night dipping chocolates. When we’re done, everybody gets to take a plate of candy home with them. I always bring toffee and sometimes peanut butter bon bons. Other people bring Carmel, nuts, truffles, homemade Almond Joy, marshmallows, pretzels, and cookies. Chocolate covered cinnamon bears and gummy bears are favorites and are the first to be eaten.


(Above) Here I am, dipping my toffee.


(Above) Our niece with some of the chocolates we did this night.


(Above) My brother and I getting plates together to take home.

Gingerbread Houses

My family has a tradition of making gingerbread houses every Christmas. It’s a tradition my grandma started when I was little, and we’ve done it for as long as I can remember.

(Above) Jen and Scott.


(Above) Everybody working on their houses.


(Above) My sister and nephew making funny faces. My nephew decorated his house himself.

(Above) The finished product: a gingerbread "village" with a house for each child in my family. (All of our nieces and nephews get to decorate and take one home, too.) Since I’m the oldest child, our house is on the left end. Scott decorated this one.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Alaska & Kira love Christmas. They know that we put up the tree and decorate the house. We wrap gifts and then at some point we open them, and Alaska & Kira always get something fun to play with. So they love it when we get the Christmas decorations out and put up the tree.

This is Kira in the photo above, but notice how Alaska has opened every box of Christmas decorations that she can reach.

(Above) Alaska helping Scott put up the tree.

(Above) Kira helping Scott put up the tree.

Christmas in July

I’ve got the Christmas bug already. It’s only July. Might be because I didn’t feel like I was able to enjoy the entire season last year as much, and I missed that feeling. Anyway, this morning I’ve been listening to "O Come All Ye Faithful" and "O Holy Night." Scott thinks I’m crazy :). (Right) Christmas 2007 - making gingerbread houses.