A Quiet Christmas at Home

So far our Christmas weekend hasn't been quite what I was expecting it to be, but having children has taught me alot about being flexible, so we've been rolling with the punches. As I said in an earlier post, Greg had the flu (fever and cough) this week, missing 2.5 days of work, and Max got it on Thursday. Nora decided to be one day behind him and get it on Friday morning. I hesitate to even write this, but so far the pregnant woman of the house has been spared. I guess someone has to take care of the sick ones! Anyway, Friday was my mom and dad's Christmas at their house. I had been trying to mentally prepare myself all week to miss it, figuring either I or the kids would be sick. Still, when it came to that morning, it was hard not to be down about missing it. Thankfully, I have an amazing, selfless, awesome husband who was feeling better and told me to go to the Christmas and have a good time. I certainly got a keeper! He even texted me partway through the day, just to tell me that everyone was doing fine and to relax and enjoy being with my family. I had a super time and came home ready to see the kids again. :)


We set up Max's sleeping bag in case he wanted to sleep upstairs on Thursday night, but he wanted his 'big bed.'

Nora got some use out of it on Friday morning, though.

Sharing the iPod and watching Tom and Jerry

While I was gone, Daddy gave them...

...baths! What cute little wrinkled toes. :)

When I came home from the Christmas, I brought Max and Nora's present that their U. John and A. Heather had gotten for them. They did a great job sharing the job of opening the gift!

What fun! It's already a hit...thanks, U. John, A. Heather, and cousins! :)

Since it was so much fun to watch them open that gift, we brought out one of Nora's for them to open. It actually had something for each of them...

...slippers!

Here are Max's Lightning McQueen slippers. Nora's were princess ones, but they don't fit her very good.

Friday it snowed pretty much from noon until evening...a perfect Christmas (Eve) snowfall. There was absolutely no wind, so the snow just fell softly, straight down, and piled up so prettily. Here is the buried sandbox on our porch:

Yes, I did cover it up before the cold weather, but Kia always takes the top off.

Look at how high that is piled!

That brings us to today, Christmas Day. Max didn't sleep well last night, so we got a slow start to the morning. Both Max and Nora had fevers when they woke up, so it was confirmed that we weren't going anywhere today. Once again, thankfully Greg was feeling okay, so he made breakfast while I held kids.

He even set the table pretty for our Christmas breakfast.

The nativity 'decoration' along with our peaches and strawberries and cinnamon rolls. Yum!

Max even got to help Daddy light the candles! We also had a delicious breakfast casserole that we didn't get a picture of before eating. It was a great breakfast!

After we were done eating, we listened to the Christmas Day service over the Internet. As I sat on our couch, I felt just like I was at church as Nora climbed up on my lap, then onto the couch, then down to the floor, then back up onto my lap, then onto the couch...etc. :)

After church was done, we told Max and Nora that they could open their presents! First, I tried one more time to get a picture of them in front of the tree.

As good as it gets. :) (Note what Nora's shirt says...I thought it was appropriate in light of the night Max and I had last night!)

I was pretty impressed...Nora had hers open long before Max did his.

This is supposed to be Max and Nora showing me their presents. :)

I decided that, fever or not, they seemed to be doing good enough to warrant a video of the gift opening. :)


Okay, maybe even two.

We spent the afternoon napping (or in my case, trying to) and the kids played some. It was just pretty apparent that they weren't feeling 100% and that Greg and I were just plain tired. A Christmas at home might be just what we needed to gather our strength and finish out the year of 2010!