Our White Washington Christmas

This year was so crazy for us! The moment I got on the plane back to Washington from Utah I thought I had a bad case of motion sickness, but it turned out to be the flu. Yuck! I was stuck taking care of my kids while being so sick (the story of any mother, right??) and I wasn't able to unpack or clean the house for a few days - and Christmas was a week away! Gratefully, my saint of a mom came to my house and brought food for the kids and got them down for naps so I could rest and get better. Thanks mom! When I started to feel better, another crazy thing happened. It snowed. And snowed. And snowed. We got like almost two feet!

We took the boys sledding. We tried to buy some sleds, but everywhere was sold out, so we tried to use trash can lids (so ghetto!) but they didn't work very well, but some nice people at the playground where we went let us use theirs. The playgroud has a big hill - it's awesome for little kids.

Rix was really good at letting Cole go with him. I need to invest in snow clothes.

Yes - I took this while driving. This is my mom's road - a pretty major road for cars! It wasn't plowed until the day after Christmas. Like a week after it had snowed.

Now I know those of you who live in Utah or Ohio or whatever think that is nothing, but in Washington we never get snow like this, so we don't have the equipment to deal with that amount of snow! The roads were terrible - even the main streets through Lakewood were ice rinks for days! And HELLO! Christmas is like 4 days away now and I am not done shopping and I haven't even started making my treats to give away. Finally we talked my parents into watching the kids one night so we could finish shopping for their stocking stuffers (I hope none of you still believe in Santa that read this blog!) and last minute stuff. The day before Christmas is tradition in our family to shop for stocking stuffers, which I did to shop for Bryan's stuff. It was so yucky outside that even on the day before Christmas there was barely anyone in the stores! I wanted CHAOS and there was none. Bummer. We went to my parents house on Christmas eve and had a yummy turkey dinner since Bryan and I didn't have Thanksgiving dinner and then went home to make cookies for Santa (a tradition) and open one present before bed (another tradition).

They got to cut out the shapes - which they are really good at (and if you could hear me say this, it would sound really sarcastic!).

Rix was really excited to decorate the ones for Santa - so they were very overloaded with sprinkles and M&Ms. Next year, Santa is requesting chocolate chip cookies or something.

Rix is so proud of his cookies! Now all I need is a Santa plate.
They got to open one present before bed - surprise! It was jammies.

My little studs. Now it is like 9pm at night, so Cole is asleep - sorry no pictures of him in his jammies!

The kids were so excited that they didn't fall asleep until past ten, and Bryan and I still had to wrap presents (all of them!) and put together the train table, which had so many parts and instructions that even Bryan was slightly (and I stress slightly) overwhelmed. We got to bed around 2am or so, but it was worth it. The next morning Rix and Bryce came running in saying that someone had been to our house (who? I wondered) and they wanted us to come and see. We got dressed and got Cole - and the frenzy began. They opened their stocking and their presents. They got their advent present (another tradition!) because our advent calander is wooden with little doors for little treats, and I told the boys Santa would bring them a gift for day 25, and he brought them the Robin Hood DVD.

Cole didn't know what to think of his stocking. I was bummed because I wasn't able to use a surger before Christmas to finish the stockings I made, but we borrowed some from my mom and it worked out fine.

How did Santa know I needed a Diet Coke this morning? And I love Rix's look on his face - it reminds me of what I put up with with the in-laws - none of which drink diet! And I got spankers - I mean, wooden spoons. I asked Bryan if he heard me complaining I needed more, and he said, "No, I accidentally stuck one of yours in the blender and ruined it." Nice. They also go well with my new pots and pans I got - for those who didn't know, my pots and pans were BAD. Not even mondo sprays with Pam would keep things from sticking. My new ones are nice. Real nice.

Rix and Bryce opening presents. They were so sad when there were no more to open!

Cole just wanted the cookies Santa didn't eat. He stayed there for a long time waiting for one.

Then, with camcorder rolling, we unveiled the train table we had covered with a sheet. They were so excited and played with it all day (and everyday since then).

It really is a cool train table! Around 10am my parents came over with breakfast - a yummy potato cheese casserole and cinnamon pull-aparts (yet another tradition!). We ate breakfast and then opened presents from Nana and Papa and the Poyfairs. (Thanks guys!)

Cole eating part of the train table. Of course.

Cole thought Papa's spoon rest was a microphone. He would put it to his mouth and sing. We got my dad a gift card to take a cooking class, so the spoon rest goes with his cooking theme.

Nana and Cole talking to Aunt Carissa.

After that the missionaries came over to use our phones to call home and they stayed to play the VMotion with Rix (it is meant for 4-6 year olds!) and hang out. I took a nap with Bryce because I wasn't feeling well. Overall it was a fun day and the kids were so excited. I got to talk to my sisters and my brother on the phone, which is always nice. It was nice to be home this year and have everything stay in one location - no toys were lost or taken by someone else and we could stay in our jammies all day. I didn't even shower until 5pm! It was a really relaxing day with family and I can't wait until next year when Bryce understands a little more and Cole is interested in more than the wrapping paper and stealing the other boys' candy.

Because of the weather, Jason's farewell, and my sick days, we didn't get to do all the things I wanted to. We never got out to see Santa, which I really wanted the kids to do. So next year, and all the ones after, we will go see Santa. Also, with the economy, I couldn't afford Christmas clothes for my kids this year, which really bummed me out. I think it's so fun to get nice clothes for my kids for Christmas, but they were really pricey this year, and since no one else is getting my kids clothes as a tradition, I am going to start saving early for Christmas clothes for next year. We also didn't get out to see Christmas lights. We love to just drive around and search for fun lit-up houses, but the weather was so bad this year. No fun! We are going to Zoolights tonight, which makes up for it though. And I'm excited to start new traditions next year! Traditions are fun because they are what I remember most about Christmas as a little kid, and I want my kids to remember them too.