Christmas in Minnesota

It's always fun to go to the Packer's for Christmas.  Not only do we love to see Grandma and Papa, but we also love all the fun traditions.

Take for example, putting up the Christmas trees.  Yes, trees.  If you know Janet at all, you know that she has a great love for Christmas trees.  A love that means you can't simply have one Christmas tree for Christmas.  This year the Packers reached a new record for Christmas trees. Evy and Nate got to help Grandma put together her woodland creatures tree.  They both loved helping and kept trying to redecorate the rest of the Christmas trees around the house.

While we were in Minnesota we had to go out and play in the snow.  There is a perfect little sledding hill in the backyard that daddy used to go down when he was a kid.  It was both of their first times sledding and they loved it.  And we also made some snowmen friends.

Christmas at the Packer home also means mint chocolate rice krispie treats and chex mix.  Nate was more than happy to taste test.

Then of course, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of roast beast on the traditional Christmas china.

We had a new tradition this year, 50 years in the making.  Papa Doug had made Santa and his reindeers when he was 12 and this year decided to bring them to Minnesota for the grandkids to enjoy.  Evy and Nate were so excited to see Santa on Christmas morning.

And if it's Christmas morning, there are Christmas jammies and French pancakes.

And Christmas stockings.

And Christmas gifts.

We had a great Christmas. There's something extra special about getting to spend the holidays with family.  Nate and Evy especially loved being with their Grandma and Papa.  We can't wait till we can see the again!

A Quiet Christmas Morning in the Colorado Snow

Since we were planning on spending Christmas with the Packers, there was one or two things that wouldn't fit in our suitcases.  So we had our own Christmas the Saturday before. We woke up to lot of beautiful snow that had fallen overnight.  It was a perfect start to our quiet Christmas morning.

Christmas morning in their jammies.  These two looked at the camera at the same and both smiled!  It's a Christmas miracle!

We let the kids open up their stockings while we made the traditional French pancakes for breakfast.

Then onto the presents!  Evy's favorite new toys is here baby stroller.  She loves pushing around her baby.  And she thinks she's little enough that Nate can push her in there too.  Nate also loved his new train book.  It comes with a little train that drives itself along the tracks on the page.  It's so fun to watch!  You might have also noticed a theme with some of the presents.  Utensils, pots, and pans. There were some baking supplies too.

Well these two got a kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa!  They both love it!  They cook, put food in the fridge, wash the dishes, bake cookies.  Now if only they could do that for me!

Little did these kids now they were going to get another Christmas!

Seeing Santa

Despite what Evy's face says, these two actually loved going to see Santa.  Evy asked Santa for a dolly and Nate asked Santa for Annie and Clarabel from Thomas the Train.  I let Santa know that Nate doesn't talk much so he may not answer his questions, but Santa was actually very nice to take the time to talk to Nathan.  And now both of the kids have been so excited for Santa to come!

Gingerbread Houses

This wasn't in the plans for Christmas this year.  The candy is leftover from Halloween and the vending machines at the auto parts store.  And luckily I had graham crackers in the house.  But I just couldn't turn turn down a little boy who asks so nicely to make a gingerbread house.  I think we just might have to make this a tradition. Nate and Evy both loved putting candy on the gingerbread house.  My favorite part was when Nate took a bite out of a peppermint patty and said, "Mom, it's the moon!" And then he made it rise up above the house.  I love seeing Nathan's creative side!

Kids Say the Funniest Things

We have a new therapist that Nate LOVES!  He keeps asking for her even when we have another therapist over (don't worry, they love her too so its all good.) Well, we were singing the hello song and we asked, "Nate do you want to sing to your favorite person?" Without missing a beat, Evy raises her hands and says, "Evy!"

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I had made new enchiladas recipe for dinner which Nate should have loved.  Well, he takes one bite, spits it out and says, "Mom, it's gross. Throw it away."

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Nate's playing with trains when I hear, "He fell off the track.  Luckily no one was hurt."

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Looking at our temple ornaments on the Christmas tree Nate said, "It's like the temple.  I love it."  This kid loves seeing the temple.

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I turned on the blender without warning Nate.  He immediately covered his ears.  When it was done he reprimanded me with, "Mom, it was louder than Evy's crying!"

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"Nate, what do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?" N- "Grandma."

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was pretty quiet this year.  Which was kind of wonderful.  The kids were in love with their turkey headbands we made and insisted on wearing them during our Thanksgiving meal of . . . ham.

Both Nate and Evy were so excited about the tree and wanted to help put it up.  And the day the tree goes up, is the day Santa drops off our Christmas jammies to enjoy all season long.  The kids changed out of one pair of Christmas jammies into their new ones!  We just love Christmas jammies around here.

Duck, Duck . . .

Moose!