All three kids read stories to a Santa that used to belong to Mike’s Grandma
We’re planning a quiet Christmas Eve and Christmas. The kids had a great week finishing up school and doing various Christmas crafts at home – adding jewel stickers to foam Christmas trees, building foam gingerbread houses, and making all sorts of improvised gifts and decorations. They have also enjoyed several tastes of their gingerbread houses. We had one play date, and managed to make and deliver teacher thank yous. Emma also drew pictures for every single member of her class!
We discovered a fun, barely-Christmas-themed story in Stick Man, which I borrowed from the library after reading this review at Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. Johnny had a lovely holiday party that Mike, Lily, and I attended, and Emma enjoyed a gift exchange at school. Mike got his wisdom teeth out Friday afternoon (they discovered he had FIVE, not four, wisdom teeth), so he’s only partially coherent for the weekend. Mike opened his presents last weekend in anticipation of being not-quite-all-there this weekend, and he and the kids have enjoyed playing with his new snap circuits set – while I’ve enjoyed the down time!
Today we’ll listen to Christmas music, sing Christmas music, and read excerpts of Luke 2. The kids will open books sent to them by my parents, just as growing up we opened books sent by my mom’s parents on Christmas Eve. I’m excited to introduce them to The Polar Express, which is Johnny’s book. Emma and Lily are getting equally special non-Christmas-y books (100+ No-Sew Fabric Crafts for Kids and Make Way for Ducklings). My brother and sister-in-law are coming over for a quiet dinner Sunday afternoon, and I am grateful to share Christmas with them.
I had plenty of Christmas plans that didn’t happen, particularly for handmade gifts, but we’ve had a lovely, low-stress (if unproductive) month. I’ll take memories over projects any day.
Wishing you all a restful, peaceful, and joy-filled weekend!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Wow — five wisdom teeth? Mark only had three!
Snap circuits are a new FAVORITE around here. :-) Sounds like a lovely & low-stress month!
Merry Christmas!!!!
That’s neat that they get books from grandma on Christmas Eve, we’ve just been talking about what present the kids should get to open, we had free choice in my house, but my parents didn’t put out any of the ‘big’ presents until after, and in my husbands family they got a specific present to open the night before. Interesting all the little family traditions that you have to reconcile!
We didn’t get to a lot of our plans either. I like the stockings on the couch. Great book choices!
Im with you so many unfinished plans
5 wisdom teeth! Ouch
Yikes about the extra tooth. Poor Mike!
Abby won’t read or watch The Polar Express. I’m not sure why, but she has no interest in it. We’ve been enjoying lots of other Christmas books and movies though.
The no sew book sounds fun!
Have a great Christmas!
Our Christmas sounds a lot like ours. A time to gather with family and enjoy wonderful food! Love the book choices!
It sounds like you have a perfect Christmas planned. So sorry that Mike had to use the downtime for a surgery, I hope he recovers quickly. Our December also was not as productive as I thought it would be, but we all enjoyed it just the same.
Sounds like a LOT going on for a so-called unproductive month. It’s special just to enjoy the time together and set aside to-do lists for a little while. Have a lovely weekend, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Thank you, Elisa! Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas, too!!! I know you will have a wonderful weekend together =)
Merry Christmas!
Sounds like THE perfect day planned!! (And I’m going to have to check out that no-sew book!!)
Wishing you and your family a Merry and Blessed Christmas!! (I’m so glad I found your blog this year!!)