Our Christmas Season Recap!

Wow! That was a busy few weeks. It was all good, but I feel like I blinked and it was gone. Of course that is not true, my little sister "Aunty Caridad" was visiting for three weeks, and just left today. The kids SO look forward to seeing her every Christmas and really, fully, expect it. It is a part of our Christmas tradition. I love that we have traditions that we can all look forward to.

This is what all the anticipation is really about...one for the house, one for me!

There was the annual Gingerbread House Party, hosted by the Rileys. Each year is a little more fun, as the kids anticipation gets higher and now that all three of them are so much more independent. Bryttain did not even sit on our table with us this year, she opted to sit with her friends. I swear she is more like a teenager sometimes, than a four year old.

Arran and Bryttain sang "Who would imagine a king' at the church Christmas party and in church on Christmas Sunday.

James and I got to go away overnight, without children(!), whilst my sister bravely looked after them and worked on all sorts of fun projects. It was lovely! Not sure who had more fun, us or them...well on second thoughts...

 There was shopping and eating out. Aunty Caridad wanted a steak, so we headed to Cattlemens. You cannot beat their Thursday night deal, with kids getting a free steak dinner and house margaritas only $4! No margaritas for the kids, but the girls did suck on the limes and pull funny faces for us.

 Bryttain's ballet recital.

Baking and candy making. The kids made the chocolate lollipops and the chocolate crispy cakes!

 Christmas Day of course. We had three very excited, very grateful kids. I remember as a kid (although I was probably older) waking up at outrageous hours to open presents. Well our kids were up early, but they patiently waited for us all to get up so that we could open presents together, after reading the story from the bible. We managed to skype online and chat with my brother Wesley and his girlfriend Lou, as well as Grandad and Nanny Pam. I am so grateful for technology and that the kids can 'see' family in other parts of the world.

Then in the afternoon we headed over to spend the rest of the evening with the cousins...best of times. All in all it really was a lovely Christmas.