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Christmas week was filled to the brim with activities. Warning: Long, picture laden post ahead!
The Friday before (the 19th) we made cookies together. The kids loved helping out. Even little K got to stir the flour, unwrap the kisses and help in sampling the goodies.
This past Tuesday N had a little singing presentation at school that my brother Andrew, his wife Erin, and my parents came to.
Then that night we went to a nearby neighborhood to see their Christmas display. There are all sorts of buttons to push that turn on lights and music, the kids call it the "Button House" and look forward to it each year. It was freezing cold, so we all bundled up in hats, scarves and gloves.
All day Christmas Eve the kids looked forward to opening their first present. Finally dinner was over, and they ripped into their packages-- pajamas all around, and some slippers as well!! Afterwards, Ed read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and "The First Night". E wrote a letter to Santa, and set out cookies before they went up to bed.
Christmas morning I awoke at 6:15 to the pitter patter of little feet downstairs. As I got out of bed I heard running and a "whump" as someone ran to their bed and jumped in. Someone else was still downstairs as I turned the corner and saw flashes of light in the still dark room. I will never forget what I saw next- N at the bottom of the stairs, his little face upturned to mine, the flashlight clutched in his hands. He climbed the stairs toward me, saying apologetically "I was just looking..." I sternly said, "N, you were very naughty- you need to stay in bed until Mommy tells you that it is time to go downstairs", and I tucked him back in. I then turned to Ellie who was hiding under her covers and asked what they were doing. She said that N had gone downstairs and had come back up telling her,"Santa didn't get me what I wanted, but he did get me what I wanted! Come see!" And she had been at the top of the stairs when she heard me coming, and ran back to bed, leaving N to take the fall. I again told the kids they would have to wait until we told them to come down, and I then went to shower and get dressed. Finally, at 7 they were able to go down and start opening presents.
This cape was made especially for N by our next-door neighbor. It is gorgeous, made from satin and custom monogrammed. I think Ed and I like it better than N (who enjoys running around the house in it, but doesn't fully appreciate it's beauty). 
After a couple of hours, we headed over to my parents to have breakfast, and then open stockings.
(as usual, E was stuck to Uncle Andrew for most of his visit)
After a short nap, we headed on over to celebrate with Ed's family. We had dinner, and then the kids had a present opening extravaganza.
The day after Christmas we had dinner with my family, hung out, and opened some more presents.
K loved opening presents so much that she ran to help Omi and Papi with theirs:
We decided to get some photo groupings. Here are the grown kids: Katherine, (me), Andrew, Sandy, and Cara.
Our family, growing up:
Most of the grandchildren- the two youngest refused to be involved in any way:
So here they are separately:
We did have one more evening together, where everyone came over for pizza at our place. Although our Christmas Marathon is exhausting, it is always a fun time. I love big families and the crazy, loud, and sometimes chaotic holidays that they bring.
With a little over a week left until Christmas, I thought I would make a post about all our December activities thus far.
We started off the month on December 1st with the Trader Joe's Advent calendars. The kids look forward to these every year, and you can't beat the price ($1). Of course we had to get K one too, because she would have been pretty upset if E and N got to enjoy their chocolate every day, and she was left out!! Sure enough, after breakfast she comes to me with her little hand held out saying "treat? treat?" (although it sounds more like "chee? chee?" It did not take her long to catch on to what was happening. Hopefully she won't be too traumatized after Christmas, when she is cut off from her morning treat!
Decorating the tree was a good time. The kids, and E especially, really love going through their personal ornament boxes and hanging them on the tree.
K got into the spirit and hung several unbreakable ornaments. 
She got especially attached to a pillow-like ornament of snoopy from my childhood. She would take it off the tree, and walk around the house with it. I even caught her going up to it and wiping her nose a couple of times! Maybe she likes the softness.
We had our annual neighborhood Christmas party where Santa and Mrs. Claus come and pass out gifts to all the kids.
N still believes, so he was a little awestruck by seeing Santa in person. But he soon got over it as his name was called first to receive presents. 
He got quite chatty up there with Santa, detailing his Christmas wish list. 
Only after he got down did he whisper to me in a worried voice,"I forgot to tell Santa how old I am!" I told him that was OK, and that he could go up later when it was K's turn. So when K's name was called N came up with me, and stood solemnly before Santa holding up 4 fingers. I told Santa and Mrs. C that N had forgotten to tell them how old he was.
K was not so thrilled with the whole meeting Santa experience. Last year she sat happily in his lap, but this year she screamed her head off.
I held her and sat on Santa's knee while K looked on suspiciously.
We had a family Christmas party on Sunday. I had a chance to take some pictures of the kids in their Christmas clothes, and we also got a pretty decent family shot.
Finally, last night we decided to decorate our gingerbread house and train. Ed and I struggled a little with the icing, but the kids didn't mind munching on candy canes and licking icing blobs in between decorating. I was again surprised at K's enthusiasm. I really thought she would be too young, and almost sent her to bed. But Ed felt bad for her, so she stayed up, and she loved it! She liked eating candy the most because she has a sweet tooth, but she also liked decorating.
Every Wednesday morning I go to a Women's Bible Study at my church. Each year we focus on a different book of the Bible. In recent years, we have done Genesis and Matthew. This year is the Psalms. We start off with a small group time to discuss the passage, and then a whole group time when we listen to a lecture given by different women who are part of the Bible Study. I have been a leader of a small group for several years now. In addition to facilitating discussion time, once a year leaders are responsible for a devotional for the morning leader's meeting, focusing on the passage for that week. In years past I have 1) asked my mom to help me out in writing it 2) conveniently had a baby the week I was scheduled, so that I wouldn't have to do it 3) didn't lead so that I was off the hook. It always causes me a great deal of stress and apprehension as I contemplate what I will write, and if it will be any good. So on Sunday, after procrastinating for several months, I sat down with the Bible passage and just prayed that God would bless my time in His word, and that I would be able to write something that blessed the other leaders. This is what I shared with the women today, the passage was Psalm 106:
Each year as I enter the holiday season, it is sometimes hard to keep my focus on what it is really all about. For months I plan what gifts I will give my children, envisioning their joy on Christmas morning as they open up their presents. I set aside time for shopping and baking, and decorating. I carefully map out all the holiday parties on the calendar, so as to make time for all the celebrations. And in the middle of it all, under the wrapping paper, the cookies and ornaments, is a baby. The only reason we have to celebrate.
Without Jesus we would have no hope; all of our precious traditions and joyful celebrations would mean nothing. Like the Israelites dancing before a “lifeless god,” we would be celebrating—what? A tree? A happy feeling? An imaginary figure of generosity? No wonder people feel so empty around the holidays- they are banking on getting an emotional high from all of the external things that we have built into the day, and when it fails to deliver, they feel let down.
But what joy, real joy, we have during Christmas when we remember what the Lord has done for us. He sent us Jesus, the most wonderful present there ever was- so wonderful that no one can “fully declare his praise.” Because of Jesus who “stood in the breach,” the Lord’s wrath will not destroy us. With God’s grace we will not forget, as the Israelites forgot, all that He has done for us. He has answered the Psalmist’s prayer to save us, and now we have the opportunity to “give thanks to his holy name, and glory in his praise.“
Because of Jesus our celebrations at Christmas have a meaning. The gifts that we exchange echo the greatest gift there ever was. The joy that we feel is real because we know from what we have been saved. The carols that we sing state the truth of the gospel. The light of the candles shine brightly into the darkness, reminding us of the Light of the World. Even the sweetness of Christmas cookies proclaim the Lord’s goodness to us, as he rescued us from our bitter fate.
So as we go into this holiday season, use the wrapping paper, cookies, and ornaments, to remember what the Lord has done for us, what he has saved us from, and why we have a reason to celebrate. In the midst of the hustle and bustle, we can remember the Psalmist’s words “ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Remember the mashed potato recipe I shared? Well, I also sent it into a contest at Wondertime magazine. They had an article in which their columnist shared her favorite recipes, and challenged the readers to beat them. I decided to take her up on her challenge. ..and I won!! I can't really claim credit for the actual recipe, because it was my grandmother's, but it made me proud to win on her behalf. It also made my family proud, as many sent emails to me saying how it brought tears to their eyes to think of Yai's recipe winning.
Christmas morning I awoke at 6:15 to the pitter patter of little feet downstairs. As I got out of bed I heard running and a "whump" as someone ran to their bed and jumped in. Someone else was still downstairs as I turned the corner and saw flashes of light in the still dark room. I will never forget what I saw next- N at the bottom of the stairs, his little face upturned to mine, the flashlight clutched in his hands. He climbed the stairs toward me, saying apologetically "I was just looking..." I sternly said, "N, you were very naughty- you need to stay in bed until Mommy tells you that it is time to go downstairs", and I tucked him back in. I then turned to Ellie who was hiding under her covers and asked what they were doing. She said that N had gone downstairs and had come back up telling her,"Santa didn't get me what I wanted, but he did get me what I wanted! Come see!" And she had been at the top of the stairs when she heard me coming, and ran back to bed, leaving N to take the fall. I again told the kids they would have to wait until we told them to come down, and I then went to shower and get dressed. Finally, at 7 they were able to go down and start opening presents.
(as usual, E was stuck to Uncle Andrew for most of his visit)
We decided to get some photo groupings. Here are the grown kids: Katherine, (me), Andrew, Sandy, and Cara.
Our family, growing up:
Most of the grandchildren- the two youngest refused to be involved in any way:
We did have one more evening together, where everyone came over for pizza at our place. Although our Christmas Marathon is exhausting, it is always a fun time. I love big families and the crazy, loud, and sometimes chaotic holidays that they bring.
