Christmas time is here.

Christmas was wonderful. We started Christmas Eve by meeting with my Dad's side of the family to go caroling. I love going caroling with my family it brings back a lot of good memories. We had a smaller group this year than I am used to but it was still fun. Michelangelo stayed home because he was sick, more on that later. I was grateful for the warm weather, but I was missing the blanket of snow we usually have for Christmas Eve. After caroling we went to my parents for a shepherds dinner. Instead of an extravagant meal, it was simple, because the shepherd would have had a simple meal that night as well. Luckily it wasn't exactly what they would of eaten, because I don't think my girls would have eaten unleavened bread, but it was filling with the summer sausage, cheese, grapes and bread. My dad read from Luke the Christmas story and then we listened to Michael McLean's new story about the Forgotten Carols. I love the music to the forgotten carols and I think that the message of the songs is so beautiful. Then every one got pajamas from a secret santa.

It literally took me five minutes to get all three girls to look at me at the same time. My siblings were laughing because it was taking so long.

When we got home we put our family presents under the tree.

There was even one for me from my hubby and girls. I was so excited! It's not often Mom gets a surprise.

Then Santa came!

The girls loved their presents:

Monkey had told Santa she wanted a pillow pet and then she changed her mind and when she saw him again she told him she wanted a blizzard maker. I did some research on the blizzard maker with her and we found out that it wasn't the greatest. I wasn't too keen on the 20 minutes I would end up turning the thing to make a couple of ounces of ice cream for her. She decided to leave a note in her stocking telling Santa she just wanted a pillow pet. And I found out later that she left another note as well telling Santa I was on the naughty list... Guess I better be nicer this year. Yikes.
Bug just wanted a Barbie and Lala was happy to have a new toy. Christmas morning was a success and Bug seems to love her ladybug pillow pet even more than her barbie.
We opened family presents.
Monkey made Daddy a picture, and gave Bug and Lala homemade playdough. Here is the recipe I got from my neighbor:
Homemade Playdough
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups salt
3 TBS oil
2 TBS cream of Tarter
3 cups water (with a few drops of food coloring added)
Mix and cook over low heat.  It will be lumpy at first.  As it cooks, it turns into a ball.  Cook until it's not sticky to the touch.  Cool on wax paper.  Makes 4 good sized playdough balls.

Bug made pictures for Daddy and Lala and gave Monkey fancy gloves:

We just used mod podge and put glitter around a pair I had found at the store. Bug loved doing it. Most of the glitter is still on today.
Lala following tradition gave her sisters band aids for Christmas. They last for about two weeks, I think.

I received a beautiful bracelet from my family it was made by one of Michelangelo's students. It is gorgeous!

I mentioned earlier that Michelangelo wasn't caroling with us because he was sick. We had all been sick at one point or another that week, and I don't know if it was a flue bug or just a really bad cold, but it knocked me and Lala out for a couple of days. And the girls and I are still sniffling from it. I hope it goes away real soon.

 

We are looking forward to the coming year and wish you a happy 2011!