Christmas 2013

Ohhhhhhh so much about Christmas 2013!! If I had blogged as I went, there would have been lots more info. As I'm trying to play catch-up, it will be more pictures than words. You may end up being grateful for that.

Christmas Slumber Party

Let's just say this year's Christmas Slumber Party was the LAST Christmas Slumber Party that will be happening. It's not that the boys were 'bad' so much as 'too energetic to be quiet when asked'. And when there's Baby Sister and Parents who want sleep at midnight or six AM and the four 8-year-old boys want....well....NOT sleep; we'll just say that doesn't make for a good combination. And I hate to be 'that mom' who nags/threatens/yells/berates/etc other people's kids (I'll do all that to my own no problem, tee hee). So from here on out we'll have a Christmas Party minus the slumber. Gingerbread houses, games, ice skating, dinner, movie.....then the parents can come collect their sugar-high son at 9pm and get the Hell outta Dodge. Ahhhhhh, peace on Earth!

Preparing for Christmas Tree Bean Bag Toss

She was upset she wasn't allowed to color on the boys' tree, so she got to have her own.

Christmas Hangman. That sounds weird typing that!

Christmas Buffet Dinner, complete with champagne

Bean Bag Toss

Banished upstairs while the boys watched their movie downstairs. She didn't mind!

Where else do toy dinosaurs belong but inside a semi-demolished gingerbread house?

Skating Field Trip

Glogg Evening (strictly mamas only)

Mmmmmm, glogg.

Christmas

And then, in the biggest Christmas surprise ever, BOTH sets of grandparents came over to the Netherlands! We had kept it from the kids (somehow) and they were SHOCKED. Actually, we kept it from Grandma, too, until late November at her retirement party. Man, that was tough Skype-ing every week and not giving it away, making up ridiculous excuses why she shouldn't start shopping and shipping Christmas gifts, etc etc. But soooooo worth it. The surprises worked perfectly, nobody had a clue they were happening, and it was just the best thing ever. So, so fantastic.

Mr T didn't find out until Grandma and Grandpa were on the playground picking him up from school. He dropped his bag and RAN into their arms. Leg-pounding RAN.

So, so, SO happy.

His legs did the same in the alley for Granny and Grandad a few days later.

Kitty Kat just giggled uncontrollably and hid behind me.

Christmas Day

Santa nailed it with this race track.....

...and this doll's house.

Mom and Dad nailed it with Mr T's grown up presents....a bank account and a cell phone for when he walks home from school by himself. Eesh!

Kitty Kat loved her Lego set from her big brother

He appeared to love the puzzle from Baby Sister, but it was the grown-ups who had all the fun with that.

Got her again! As if the trip to NL wasn't surprise enough, a gorgeous charm necklace from some hoity-toity jewelers.

(oh yeah, she totally cried)

I wanted to cry during every one of the EIGHTY hours it took me to make this rug. But it turned out killer.

Grandfather and grandson building their first Erector Set

The now-traditional Christmas Puzzle

Finished!

It's damn near impossible to get a perfect family photo....

....so humor is a far-better approach.

Most of the 2.5 weeks Grandma and Grandpa were here, Mr T spent the night at the B&B with them. A couple times, Kitty Kat was allowed to join, too.

Football/soccer with Grandpa

At the indoor playground, Kitty Kat found alternate ways of playing with the balls.

(funny enough, we have this picture of Mr T doing the same thing at this age!)

Ice Skating!

Mr T wasn't feeling so well that day (HUGE pancake lunch just before) so it was mostly Kitty Kat and Mama. We'll get him to join in next time)

New Year's Eve

Kitty Kat hasn't napped in two years, but she somehow knew to catch a few Zzzz's on Dec 31st. Oh yes, she stayed up until 1am to join in the festivities. Yippee!!

That's it! You got the highlights anyway. I still have a few more things to catch up on, but for now, I'm off for a much-deserved glass of wine. Too bad it isn't glogg. (sigh!)