The 13 Days of Christmas

I made the unfortunate mistake of attempting to teach my children The Twelve Days of Christmas.

They decided to create their own version.



Sorry that it's so dark and so grainy. It didn't look that way when I was attempting to record it!

Christmas Eve Recap

Wow, the last few days have been really, really busy! Time flies when you're... having fun? I suppose so! I am tired tonight, and I still have another blog entry to get out tonight, so how about I just give you a recap of Christmas Eve, and then we can catch up with Christmas tomorrow?

First off, The Dragon is feeling much better. After puking on the evening of the 23rd, she woke up on Christmas Eve in high spirits. I took her to the doctor anyway. All tests and evaluations came back negative for anything, including the rapid strep test. However, the doctor told me that she would've brought her child in too with a fever that high, and that she too would've thought it likely to be strep. But, for now all we can say is that it's a virus - or several viruses - because there's nothing that can be documented as anything else.

So, we went home and I continued with my last minute Christmas preparations such as wrapping presents, making cookies for Santa, making chocolate covered peanuts for a family party, and making "sweet meatballs" for the same family party. It was a busy afternoon.

That evening, we loaded everyone into the car and headed for Grandma's house. The party was very simple, but enjoyable, but towards 7:30, The Dragon was begging to go home. She wasn't feeling well. So we packed everything up, and headed home so that we could get ready for Santa Claus to arrive.

The girls got to open their one present - lo and behold! - pajamas! I think that The Princess is starting to catch on to this tradition. For The Dragon, it's still a big surprise! They loved their new, soft, matching PJs. I thought they looked pretty darn cute.



We made the girls get ready for bed, but then dragged them back downstairs so that they could leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk for Santa. Of course, we had to set out some oats and sugar sprinkles for the reindeer too. Some people sprinkle their yard with the stuff, but we just leave them on the plate with the cookies. The reindeer seem to get their treat just fine! (We took the pictures before we remembered to set out the oats... oops!)



After that, it was time to read our nightly Christmas story. That's one of my favorite traditions - we read a Christmas story every night starting on December 1st through Christmas Day. And tonight, being Christmas Eve, well, there was no choice but to read "'Twas The Night Before Christmas."

After that, the kids were tucked into bed (while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads), and I continued my VERY last minute preparations for the big day. Like wrapping more presents (sigh!).

Finally, all was ready to go, and The King and I could finally go to bed ourselves! Dreamland has never been so sweet - I was tired!



Merry Christmas, everyone!

What Do You Want For Christmas?

How about a hippopotamus?

Christmas Survey

I took this little Christmas Survey a couple of weeks ago, fully intending to post this on my blog, but then, well, I didn't. And then Lara posted it on her blog, and I remembered that I hadn't posted MINE. So here it is:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? For Christmas, wrapping paper, but will use a gift bag when it is more practical (like really odd-shaped/sized gifts).

2. Real tree or artificial? I prefer real, but ours is artificial. It's quite beautiful for a fake, and it only cost me $15 on clearance six-ish years ago.

3. When do you put up the tree? As early as the day after Thanksgiving. This year, December 1st.

4. When do you take the tree down? No earlier than January 1st. But we try not to leave it up longer than the first week in January.

5. Do you like eggnog? No, no, no! Gah!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Oh wow. Probably my Cabbage Patch Kid doll that was made for me by my Grandma. We couldn't afford a real one.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. The "Little People" one by Fisher Price.

8. Hardest person to buy for? This year it seems to be my 5-year old daughter. Still looking... any ideas?

9. Easiest person to buy for? My 7-year old daughter.

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? The scrapbooking gift from my SIL. Really, it wasn't the gift itself that was so horrid - it was more that she really hadn't been paying attention to anything I had been saying for the last 6 months. I just felt really hurt. Long story...

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, unless I don't have their "real" contact info. A rarity.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie: Oh, I love them all. I'd love to see "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" with Mickey Rooney however. Haven't seen it since I was a kid... bring it back!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Oh, I stash little things away all year long, but the big kick-off (and usually the big finish) is Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving).

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I am pretty sure I have, but right now I can't remember what it was.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? English Toffee.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Both. This year we have two clear strings, and one colored.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Oh, I don't think I can choose. I really love them all. Though I'm getting really tired of the "shoe/mama meets Jesus" song. REALLY tired.

18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Stay home, with the exception of Grandma's house which is 12 miles away.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph, and Olive.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We usually open one on Christmas Eve... typically pajamas from Mom and Dad.

22. Most annoying thing about this time? That the Christmas season starts before Halloween, and that people forget the reason for the season. Including me, sometimes.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Being with my family. (Edited today to add: The day AFTER. I'm a bit stressed.)

Holiday Decor

I braved the cold last night and got a few pictures of the outside of our house. I am becoming more and more convinced that my camera is not quite doing the job. Let's face it - it's easier to BLAME the camera than to BLAME the photographer. :)

So, here is a picture of our beautiful house at night time. The King did a fantastic job with the lights. My photography skills do not do it justice.



Here is a picture of our house last year in the wee early morning hours. Yep, we decorated it almost exactly the same. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I think our house is bee-you-tee-ful!



Here is a picture of our tree. I've been having too much fun trying to make "twinkly" lights. I need to take a few others, just so you can see more of the ornaments. Someday. (Someday means "probably the day I take the tree down.")



And here is a picture of the girls with their snowman. He has olive eyes, a carrot nose, a celery mouth, and broccoli, YES broccoli, for hair.



Um, the rest of the house is a CATastrophe. If only I could blame the cat. *sigh* Anyway, what that means is NO MORE PICTURES. For now.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Experiments In Photography

Lara of Overstuffed is an excellent photographer. She was kind enough to give me some photo tips in my attempt to get some great shots of my Christmas tree.

I need a lot more practice. But I'm getting better.

Here's a shot of "twinkly" lights.



I love me some twinkly lights. :)