A Lazy Mom's Christmas Blog

Top 10 Christmas Season Memories (in no particular order):

1. Mary was in town for the week leading up to Christmas. We did our fair share of Christmas shopping and Starbucks trips together and she did more than her fair share of baking with the kids, making Chex mix and "Grandma Mary Spaghetti Sauce", and playing card games.

2. We took the kids to Big Lots on Christmas Eve and they each used their own money to buy some toys for Toys for Tots. I was really proud of them all for their generosity. We tried to lead by example by buying things with our own money and then giving them the option to use their own money to buy additional toys. Each of them bought at least one item and stood in line on their own, using their ATM card to buy the gifts. We then drove to the fire station and they proudly put their goodies into the box.

3. The advent calendar continued to be a big hit each morning. I'm pretty sure that is the best $5.00 I ever spent at a garage sale! Faith's favorite treat was the Sixlets.

4. We watched way too many holiday movies. This year we introduced the kids to Elf and The Santa Clause. We also watched School of Rock (timed perfectly to get them in the right frame of mind for their presents from Santa Claus).  Next year it will be time for A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. 

5. We've never been fans of a fancy dinner on Christmas Eve. Years past have seen everything from FFY to take out Chinese to fish and chips at the local pub (that was the year I was pregnant with Jake). This year Nana came over and we did a "make your own pizza night". I bought dough and sauce from a local pizza place and Nana demonstrated the fine art of pizza dough throwing.

6. We followed the pizza making with the annual opening of Christmas Eve jammies and Christmas Eve game. This year it was MouseTrap- a great game from my childhood. The kids loved it and it kept us all entertained. Then, right before bed, we all watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Shrek the Halls. The Kids all slept in the bonus room together on blow up mattresses. Amazingly they were all asleep by 930 PM.

7. Brian and I were up first on Christmas morning. We got breakfast started, made the coffee and energy drink (for Brian) then the kids got up around 645 when Nana arrived. They were very excited to see the gifts from Santa: the makings of a band including an electric guitar and amp, a keyboard, and an electric drum set. Yes, we are crazy. They have been making music ever since and are getting their first lesson on the guitar later this morning from a friend of ours in the neighborhood. Now our bonus room (already a truly multifunctional space) includes the title of "Music Room".

8. The only thing Faith truly wanted for Christmas was a stuffed reindeer from Build a Bear. She didn't waver from the time she saw it in the mall in November until Christmas morning. She was pretty excited to see Clarice waiting for her by the fireplace. The doll was actually from Nana but we left it out from Santa because it was the only thing she had actually asked for from him. She carries it everywhere.

9. The boys favorite gifts were from their Grandmas: Mary got them Madden 13 for the Wii and Nana got them each a pair of Reebok Reezig shoes in Boise State colors. They were ecstatic. Seriously. I thought Jake might cry he was so happy. He just kept hugging Nana and thanking her over and over again. I think the reaction alone made Nana's day.

10. We didn't get a white Christmas, but we did get snow the day after and several days following. We still have several inches on the ground with more falling as I type. The low was 15 degrees last night so it's chilly but it has been sunny during the day and really beautiful.