The Stockings Were Hung

Stockings have always been my very favorite part of Christmas morning. When I was younger, I loved admiring my plump and exciting stocking and then finally dumping it out. We had THE BEST stockings when I was growing up--stuffed full of little presents and treats and just burgeoning out the top. It was fun to wake up Christmas morning today and see that Santa still stuffs them full! I love sneaking upstairs to look at the tree and all the presents after Santa has come and gone--while it's quiet and cozy and the kids are not yet awake.
Merry Christmas! We had a fun, mellow and happy day--busy with present opening, treat-eating, xbox playing (groan), doll hugging, horse clopping, sledding (kids & Mike), and napping (me!). I love this time of year and I love my little family more than I can express.

Merry Christmas 2007
from the Hansons!
Isabelle, Mimi, Crystal, Max & Mike

Christmas Jammies

I had so much fun tonight wrapping presents! Each year Mike & I give the kids jammies, which they open Christmas Eve, and these are the presents I wrapped first tonight because I wanted to do them while I was bright-eyed and chipper. I know the kids will be jumping all over the place when they see them tomorrow, so I made the bows all fluffy and exciting. I've actually meant to get these under the tree much sooner, and Max asked me a few days ago, "Are you going to give us our Christmas Eve jammies?" to which I replied, "Well, I thought we'd skip the jammies this year; you won't mind, will you?" And he got big, wide sad eyes and said, "YES! I love Christmas Eve jammies!" Isabelle piped right up and was also outraged that I'd skip the jammies. I kept playing it like I had no jammies and I think they are sweating it a little. I was THIS close to not doing the jammies this year because I'm so stressed about money. I actually had no idea they liked this little tradition so much, but evidently it means a lot to Max, especially. He likes his cozy Christmas jammies. I think it gives Christmas Eve a special feeling and I hope when they are older, they remember getting them.

There are actually a few little traditions I hope they always associate with Christmas:
* Reading Christmas stories every night before bed, all cozy and snuggly together
* Lego advent calendars
* Gingerbread houses
* Nativity flannelboard story
* Watching Christmas movies together
* Shepherds Dinner (we'll be doing this one every year)
* Making Christmas cookies
* Buying gifts for their siblings

Doing things together at Christmastime brings a feeling of closeness that I want to try hard to keep in my house all year. I always make a huge effort to plan fun activities in December and to be together in a happy, positive way and I want to consciously foster that closeness in the ensuing months.



I have been thinking of our everyday "traditions" that will accomplish this. There are just a few basic things that are the glue of our life as a family, keeping our weeks consistent and predictable. Hopefully my kids will remember these things as family traditions as well. All through 2007 I made a firm commitment to myself to have Family Home Evening on Mondays--no matter what. I have such a testimony of Family Night and the subtle way it binds a family together and provides a venue for communication. Family Night is a tradition I think my kids will associate with their growing up years.

We also do Movie Nights together quite frequently, and my kids love it. We snuggle up on the couch or floor, build a comfy nest and settle in with huge bowls of popcorn.

Mike takes the kids out regularly for Daddy-Daughter or Father-Son nights, and I love that he does this. The kids get giddy when he plans a night out with them. I feel it is so crucial for a father to be one-on-one with children. This has become a consistent enough event that I think they will look back and remember it as a part of childhood.

A year or so ago, I banned housecleaning from Saturday. We do the routine things that must be done to stay functioning--like dishes. And the kids still do their quick pickups of their bedroom before bed, but no more big "clean the house from top to bottom" day of pain! Saturday is Family Fun Day and we usually do some kind of outing or activity together, even if it's quick and simple.

And Max had better remember his nightly snuggles! Because I drag my butt upstairs to his room each and every night--even when sometimes I want to snarl at him to just go to sleep! He will be 9 years old in a week, yet still asks, "Mom, will you come give me a snug?" Who knows how long this will last?! He cannot seem to settle down and slow his brain activity unless I come snug up to him and give him some back tickles.

These are parts of life I hope my kids remember as day-in, day-out "traditions." But I'm sure they'll just remember all the things I don't want them to recall--like how I lose my patience at night, every night! Or how I'm sometimes late to pick them up from school. Or how I haven't sewn any of Max's Cub Scout patches yet. Sigh!

{Thanks, Dad, for the Christmas levities!}

Shepherds' Dinner

I've been so excited to copy Wendi's tradition of a Shepherds' Dinner and wanted to do it right before Christmas. Tonight was the night. And I was so frustrated; I could NOT find the dvd I had planned to watch. This is such a great movie to bring the Spirit of Christmas and it's nowhere to be found! It's gone missing, along with my copy of "Mr. Kreuger's Christmas"--both of which were free in the Ensign. Darn kids. I know they've snaffled them off somewhere as part of their daily scrabblings up in the tv room. So we ended up watching a little something I'd recorded off tv; Liken the Scriptures' "First Christmas." It was cutesy and good for the kids--basically a Broadway-type interpretation of the Nativity--but nowhere nearly as powerful as the actual Church-issued "Joy to the World." (I mean, for goodness sake...the angels were singing in a rasta-beat to the shepherds. Where's the glory in that?)

I'm sure my beloved "Joy to the World" dvd will turn up just in time for Valentine's Day.

I had great hopes of making my friend Ann's Broccoli Cheese Soup (been craving it since she had her fun girls' luncheon), but wised up to the fact this morning that no way was that going to happen! I mean, I've got pretzels to dip & fudge to make & toffee to concoct! So I whipped into the drive-thru of Kneaders and got soup from there. Not as good as Ann's, but definitely dee-lish! (I think Ann's soup will be my New Year's dinner tradition.)

I'm getting a little off track. We ate soup, cheese & crackers and watched the Shepherds sing and dance (much eye-rolling from Mike), and went to bed. Well, THEY all went to bed. I am awake in a quiet house and loving every silent minute of it!

(Do cheesecake calories count after midnight?)

'Twas the Weekend Before Christmas

What a whirlwind around here lately!

Thursday the 20th

was the day of the school parties, so Mimi & were at school all morning doing the Take Home Reading... ...then all afternoon for the 1st and 3rd grade parties.

{my cookie station at the 1st grade party}

It was really fun, but my migraine was looming right behind my eyeballs, just waiting to become a full-blown menace again. And it did come back, due to the 3rd grade party--what a bunch of wild hooligans!

{cookie station at the 3rd grade party; pro-frosters, compared to the 1st grade}
{Max & his favorite buddy Zack during the class gift exchange.}

They were actually very cute and well-behaved....but typical, rowdy 3rd graders. It's nice to see Max in his classroom environment, looking happy and well-adjusted. He won the drawing to taking home Clyde, the class turtle. So Clyde the tortoise is our houseguest over the break. He's actually got quite a lot of personality, which I didn't expect from a reptile. But we've had more than the usual quality time with Clyde and feel like we know him quite well; he was also our houseguest over a 3-day weekend in October, so we're old friends.

Thursday night after all the school merrymaking, we watched the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional--which I purposely waited to watch until later in December so the kids would get a good powerful dose of the Spirit right before Christmas. I gave them each a Santa Clause pez to play with & munch during the devotional (bribery to keep them concentrating). I had a moment's qualm that the Santa Clause pez was cancelling out my efforts to focus them on the Spirit and Baby Jesus, but they listened really well, so.... whatever works.

Friday the 21st
was another big day. Max & Isabelle both have December birthdays, back-to-back on the 29th, and I've just never been able to muster the enthusiasm to give them a friend party. There is just so much going on in December that just the very thought of a birthday party before the school Christmas break puts me over the edge. But I decided this was the year to take the plunge, and I'm so glad we did it! I kept it very low-key and easy. (Actually, last-minute and thrown together.) They each invited two friends and when everyone arrived, we left and took the party to this big warehouse lined with trampolines. (don't want to name the business on my blog) There were even trampolines up the sides of the walls! Perfect. I paid for one hour, thinking they'd want to stay longer & I'd pay for a second hour later, but they were all totally exhausted and ready to go home after the first hour. So including the time when the kids played at my house before we left, the party was just under three hours and I wasn't frazzled at all. This is the way to do a birthday party! Take it somewhere ELSE. Next time I will pay a little extra and rent the birthday room, so we can also have the pizza, drinks and cake on location. (it seems my footage of Max & friends was only on video, which I do not know how to download from my camcorder.)

We rested up for a while (even though the kids insisted they weren't tired...uh-huh...) and then went to The Nutcracker, which was fabulous! I think the live orchestra makes it an event. We stowed Max away at his cousin's house and Mike & I took the girls. Mimi was wiggly--no surprise there--but loved it beyond measure. Isabelle also loves The Nutcracker and considers it her Christmas tradition. I was hesitant to spring for tickets, but in the end was very glad we did. And we'll be eating ramen or beans & rice next month to make up for it! Today, Saturday the 22nd, has been blissfully uneventful. I had planned to get a jump on the wrapping and make neighbor treats, but nope. I went to buy soup for our Shepherd's dinner (thanks for that great idea, Wendi!) and napped. Yes, it's 5pm. I think I will do a few treats now. Maybe. Zzzzzzz.....

Wexford Carol & the True Spirit of Christmas

Merry Christmas to one and all! As we embark on the last few days before Christmas, may the Christmas Star shine happiness upon you and your family.

Are YOU in the Christmas Spirit?

Click on the picture to enlarge. Thanks Dad, for your daily levities!

migraine.

The Day So Far

Today we all rushed out the door by 9am to get to the Annual Christmas Sing at Max's & Isabelle's school. It was so cute! Max even sang. He was supposed to wear a Sunday dress collared shirt but was balking, insisting that he'd "look like an idiot." So I made him a deal: wear what you want if you'll just SING, for heaven's sake. It worked, evidently. No pictures, just video--which I have yet to figure out how to load from my camcorder. ( who's the idiot?...)

Then I bustled to the post office to get stamps and then to the grocery to pick up a few things. I hate going to just get a few items! I'm a fan of the once-a-week trip. By the time we got home, I thought I was going to pass out I was so hungry. I've found I need to eat once an hour--I'm absolutely RAVENOUS once an hour! I've forgotten how much hard work my body is doing to knit together a human in there!

So that was my mom-morning from 9am-12pm. BUT! I did drag myself out of bed at 4:50am to go the gym. I could not allow another day to go by without a workout. I have been a total slug. (i haven't worked out for 10 straight days...shhhh) I haven't missed more than 2 days in many, many months! The blame lies strictly with the Hallmark Channel. I've been staying up late & watching cheesy Christmas specials after the kids go to sleep. Well, and FoodNetwork Christmas cooking shows. Delightful! So today felt good. But I'm hammered; I didn't get to sleep last night until 11pm.

Now Mimi has her favorite friend over to play; it's my Wednesday Watch Day. I love our babysitting trade!

Watch for a yummy recipe post later!

Naptime. They can jump around me on the couch. Zzzzzzzzz.....

p.s. I need ideas for easy Christmas Day dinner! We're doing a huge feast on Christmas Eve at Mike's parents' house, but I want Christmas day to be low-key and easy, but still a little special.

* WHAT SHOULD I MAKE?
**WHAT ARE YOU MAKING?

Wordless Wednesday

Gingerbread Houses

On sprinklesandtwinkles, I've posted an easy way to make gingerbread houses. Have fun!

Our Last Few Days

Here are the girls, all ready for the ward Christmas party last week. There was a entertainment group there--all singy and dancey--and Mimi was RIVETED to the stage. There were probably 25 or 30 teens doing a modern version of Lawrence Welk...singing and dancing and acting. Mimi finally ditched us; she found herself a front-row seat and plopped right down and didn't move the entire next hour. Afterwards, the adults were talking and enjoying dessert while all the kids were out causing a ruckus in the halls. When it was time to round up our kids, we found everyone but Mimi, whom we finally tracked down in the Relief Society room with the dancers! They all went there to rest and eat their dinner and socialize after their performance and Mimi zoned in on them and started giving them the rundown: "I like your hair," "Do you wear that makeup all the time?" "Does your mom only let you wear it to dance?" "Do you want to see MY moves?" "Do you go to dance class?" "There aren't any boys in my dance class," "Are those tights just for big girls?" "Where did you get your sparkle dress?" And on & on. The dancers got a huge kick out of her and made a big fuss over saying goodbye to her. What a girly-girl!

So that was last weekend. This weekend was Mimi's Christmas dance recital, which is always a treat. She has been looking forward to it so much and has almost as much fun getting ready for the recital as she does at the recital itself--especially because she is allowed to wear mascara. Here she is before the recital, striking an impromptu pose.

This is a girl who loves to feel glamorous! Which is so funny because Isabelle could care less. Oh, she'll usually cooperate when I get her trussed up for church every week, but really is not into bows and frills. She'd rather "rough you up" (her words) or play Star Wars with her light saber.

Here is Mimi's little Grinch dance. She's the one in the middle with the white bow.


Later that night Mike & I went to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas Concert, which was fabulous! I was too far away to capture the coziness of the stage; on either side of the orchestra is a Christmas village, all aglow with lanterns and lights. This is my favorite Christmastime event and I was so happy I was able to go!

The next day, Sunday, Mimi took a very late nap and so was allowed to stay up much later than usual. I had been waiting to show her The Nutcracker, which I have tivo'd, and she loved it even MORE than I had expected! This picture is of her floating and flitting her arms around, ballerina-style. She did this all through the show--she couldn't help herself.

At the very end, she popped up out of her couch nest and began to dance along with Clara. I can't wait to watch her get bigger and see how this part of her personality develops.

Hee hee! Let's get our week off to a proper start with a good laugh!

Can't Sleep

What's a pregnant girl to do when she has insomnia? I'm on a "no drugs" policy, and I need my sleeping pills! I'm worried that this may be the start of one of my week-long insomnia marathons. If so, at least I can count on Cecily to be up into the wee hours. (I'll be calling you, friend!) She seriously keeps vampire hours. Cecily, if you're reading: Are you one of the undead?

So today was a marathon day; we all left the house at 12:30noon-ish and got home at 11:30pm. Poor Max was so upset. He's such a little homebody and kept saying, "Can't we just go HOME?" Mimi's Christmas dance recital was today and ended around 2:30pm. By an amazing stroke of luck, I scored tickets to the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas Concert and Mike's parents offered to watch the kids (thankyouthankyouthankyou). So we drove to Grandpa & Grandma's, visited for a while, then left for the concert. (It was amazing; more about that tomorrow) Watch Music & the Spoken Word tomorrow! (Sunday) The King's Singers were guests at the concert and they will also be on Music & the Spoken Word.

By the time we got home, it was 11:30 and the kids were burnt out! And poor Max. He gets the nervous shakes if he's away from his stuff for too long. He has to be able to obey the impulse to compulsively create a kooky craft--or at the very least, to sit down for a manic lego-building session--and feels adrift without his supplies nearby. He feels secure with his own belongings, his own cozy bed, his own dvd's or his own computer nearby.

Mimi, on the other hand, was in heaven with Grandma's 4,554,312 Polly Pockets to play with.

Isabelle was evidently having a blast raiding and pillaging Grandma's rather, ahem, extensive toy collection.

The last few days have been barren of baking & I'm going through withdrawals! So here's what I have planned:
Monday - chocolate & caramel pretzels; graham cracker houses that night for FHE
Tuesday - Haystacks
Wednesday - Toffee
Thursday - My secret batch of sugar cookies, not for kids! Only for me to decorate!
Friday - Fudge (to give away this time)

I'll also be making & posting some easy recipes that are holiday staples in my family: "Thanksgiving Punch" and the famous red jello. I'm also going to try to get around to doing a post on Nanimo Squares, the most decadent treat in the universe.

Who wants to come help me, said the Little Red Hen?

Tomorrow my lesson in Primary will be so fun! Here's the plan:
*Set out my Nativity-oriented Christmas books and let them each pick one for me to read aloud while they sit on the floor and eat treats.
* Watch some of the church Nativity dvd
*Make their sheep (they are going to be shepherds next week, travelling to find the baby Jesus)
That's probably all we'll get to, even though I'd like to do a flannel board activity. Do any of you even use flannel boards ever? I pulled it out last week and all my kids said, "What's that?" I said, "A flannel board, DUH."

I guess I will go read Mike's gun mail-order catalog. That ought to put me right out. Why didn't I think of that before? Good nighty-night!

(Call me, Cec. I'll be up.)

Stocking Advent Calendar

Here is our Christmas activity we did Wednesday: we made a stocking advent calendar. This is so easy and the kids love it! All you need is: kids' christmas socks, ribbon or yarn & clothespins. The socks can be found in the cheapie baby section of walmart or target. There are also festive christmas socks in the walmart sock section. Clothespins are in the craft section of walmart or at the craft store, by the popsicle sticks.
Now put a little treat or note for each child in each stocking and start counting down to Christmas! We only did 12 stockings since we started on the 12th. Next year, when I've planned ahead, I will put a scripture or a note or a song in the stockings--like Karri's darling advent that I am so envious of! This year, I just stuck sugar balls into each sock. You do what you can, right? (Seriously, though. Go look at Karri's cute spiritual advent calendar.)

Friday Funny

Wordless Wednesday

Who Wants to Make Cookies?

Go check my food blog for the latest Christmas recipe! And then get to work! (yum)

Eh, So-So

Today the highlight of my day was......huh. I'm drawing a blank. Definitely not the 45 minutes of cleanup after making sugar cookies with the kiddos. At 9:30pm. And I thought the actual making of the cookies would be Christmas-y and fun, but Isabelle and Mimi were both very whiny and dissatisfied--I think they are both getting sick. Well, I know they are, but I've been trying to block it out. (In the infamous words of my mom, "Can't they choose to be well?") Max stayed home sick today & I accused him of semi-faking it, but when Isabelle came home with her dry-hack cough I had to admit that he may indeed have a bug. They are, all three of them, walking, oozing balls of mucus.So we made cookies, did the bedtime drill (which included children's Nyquil--yessss), I cleaned up & then did what any sensible, logical, prudent no-nonsense woman would do.

Lit out for Chili's like a bat outta hell.

I met my girls there and didn't even bother with the chocolate shot--I dove straight into steak quesadillas. (Does that count as my free day? If so, how will I survive without my weekly brie-&-pears?)

And now it is 1:25am. Hmmmm. Tomorrow is gym day. How will I be gymalicious with only 4 hours of sleep? (i'm still loving your word, Jill; I think you should trademark "gymalicious.")

***Will Crystal actually make it up for the gym? And if so, at what time? Stay tuned....

***(also stay tuned for the sugar cookie recipe & tomorrow's
baking delight; I'm homebound with a car in the shop, so the flour's gonna fly!)Perfectly sprinked, a la children

Menu Plan Monday

This week I have a baking project planned for each day, so dinner is going to be low key. I've organized which projects I'm going to do, shopped for ingredients, so...let the sprinkles fly! Check here for the Christmas baking festivities, beginning Monday night.

Monday
Grilled cheese & bacon sandwiches (thank you, Missy, for this stroke of genius)
Soup
Apple Pear Cobbler (I bought a case of pears at Costco...there are just a few left)

Tuesday
Crockpot Beef Stew
Baked potatoes

Wednesday
Rice-a-Roni (as a person who loves to cook, this chills me to the bone to admit I'm serving. Don't judge me ;)
Steamed Broccoli

Crusty wheat bread, skillet-toasted (some people have asked about this bread: Costco's Le Brea Whole Grain loaves! Slather slices with butter, skillet-toast (i.e., fry) & your kids will gobble them!)

Thursday
Chicken & pasta (big whoop: leftover chicken from freezer w/ egg noodles & white sauce. Easy-peasy & my kids scarf it.)

Friday
Tuna casserole (I crave it! See sidebar.)

Saturday
Whole wheat pancakes
eggs

Sunday
leftover buffet or Mike's signature crepes

Snow Day!

This was the view outside my front door today. All day. It was a beautiful, cozy day! It had been snowing for maybe an hour or two when I ventured out to the gym at 9am, but the snow wasn't yet sticking at that point. Poor Max (below) tried to gather enough for snowballs, but to no avail. Around 2pm, it began to accumulate (causing a cancellation of a very fun outing with my friend Kara, I might add--in a somewhat disgruntled tone), and it is still snowing currently at 10:41pm. We have 8 inches, at least!
It is my favorite kind of snow--big, fluffy flakes that look like pieces of torn bread. Christmas Snow!
We all got off our lazy-day butts around 4pm and went sledding. I love how Mimi looks like a pink marshmallow in her snow clothes!

Self portrait, as we set out to sled. How do you like my bangs? Actually, that's the hood on my coat. GENUINE raccoon fur, folks. Mike gave me this coat last year for Christmas and it is so cute, but I eyed the fur with suspicion. It didn't look manufactured. It looked like there may be paws in there somewhere. I looked at the tag and, yep, it says "genuine raccoon fur." Oh, the laughs we had upon reading that aloud to the Christmas-day crowd! It kind of grosses me out to wear it, especially because it brushes up against my cheek and also because I occasionally inhale a stray piece of fur. I'll be driving in my car and start making dry-heave sounds. "Kak! Kkhhrrruggg!" Anyway, I digress. That's me underneath the raccoon.

Who starts sledding a half hour before sundown? We froze our butts off, but it was so fun! There was this one bump that Mimi insisted on aiming for, catching air every time, her dinosaur hat flying up. She never lost her sled, though! That girl can do a good downhill.

This is Max lugging his sled up the hill, with Sis behind him (hidden) and Mimi in the back.

This was about 5 seconds before meltdown...

...and there you have it. One too many "fly-ups," as she called her catching-air trick.
We came home, had pizza and hot chocolate and watched "Muppets Christmas Carol." And that was our festive Christmastime activity for today!