Mt. Vernon

Mt. Vernon had a special discounted rate to visit this winter.  Given Cooper's interest in the presidents and our past very-rainy visit, we decided this would be a fun day trip.  It was a cold, but at least clear, day for our visit.  The house tour wasn't much changed, except that the parlor was completely finished and furnished this time.  We enjoyed getting to explore more of the outdoors including the fields and the pioneer village. 

Lego Time

Any time these two get together, they'd be happy to spend hours on end building and playing with Legos!

Christmas Day 2014

As usual, I was up bright and early on Christmas morning, anxiously awaiting when I could actually rouse the rest of the household.  For the first time ever, though, the kids were ALSO up early.  In year's past, we've always had to wake them up on Christmas morning.  This year, we heard them whispering; then the light went on, and they stayed in bed reading until they were allowed to get up.  Finally, they match my Christmas morning enthusiasm!

Everyone got to open a few presents before breakfast, and then the opening continued after.  Every year, I think Santa is going to cut down on the number of gifts.  He tries; he really does...but then he finds such great bargains on fun little stocking stuffers that he simply can't help himself!

Santa loves bringing books!

 

Nana and Popsie even got a little spoiled by Santa this year:  seasonings and kitchen utensils, new Christmas Vacation glasses, candy, and more!

New ski hats and gloves for both kids and a hard-to-miss neon keeper jersey for Brady:

Keva planks were a new twist on the building toy.  James and Brady spent a long time building this long ramp; these planks have been a big hit!

The weather was nice enough to get outside and try Rudy's koosh toy and to run off some energy.  Oma and Papa joined us in the afternoon for an amazing feast:  prime rib roast, mashed potatoes, candied apples, fruit salad, green salad, yorkshire pudding, asparagus.

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 After dinner, we tried out some of our new Christmas games.  Brady and Rudy stayed with Nana and Popsie, while Oma and Papa headed back to the Residence in with James and me.

Christmas Eve 2014

We decided that the Residence Inn was not where we wanted to spend Christmas Eve, so we relocated to Kathy and Tony's for a few nights.  

We were out of Christmas cookies and took advantage of a real kitchen to whip up a few more batches of sugar cookies and toffee.  We had to have something to leave for Santa!!

We debated hiking into town to attend mass at our regular parish, but decided to go to the closer church instead.  It was much less stressful than hustling everyone out the door for a longer drive to a later service, and allowed us to enjoy the evening more. 

 

These pictures where the timer goes off and no one is ready...always make me laugh!

Everyone was allowed to open one gift after church.  Rudy wound up with Legos to play with and Brady snooped enough to be fairly confident that he was opening his Marvel Comics Encyclopedia.  This enormous book has been a go-to read for him whenever he has a few minutes to spare!

The traditional reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas (on the not so traditional Kindle; what can I say...all of our Christmas books were packed away rather early this year!)

Cookies and milk for Santa, with his reindeer helpers ready to head back to the North Pole after their pre-Christmas shenanigans.  

Back to the hotel

After a week on vacation and a few days at Oma and Papa's house it was back to our home-away-from-home, the grand Residence Inn.  I can't say that any of us felt particularly excited to return...

I didn't get many pictures of our not-so-spacious abode, but it really wasn't bad for a hotel room.  At least we had two bathrooms, and there was room for the boys to have the hotel bed and still squeeze in an inflatable mattress.  We even had Oma and Papa visit for a night and squeezed them in, and Charlie too.  

I don't think the cats care one way or another where we live, but I do think they got fatter after living in the smaller space!

Christmas at Oma and Papa's

We flew back from Jamaica on December 19 and had our family Christmas at Oma and Papa's house on December 20.  This would normally be a somewhat herculean organizational feat for me, to pack for both a Caribbean vacation and a Christmas party/gift exchange; add the flood to it, and I was especially happy that this year I was unusually ahead of the Christmas game.  I had all my gifts purchased and wrapped by the first week of December!

Wow - this picture!  Don't they all look thrilled??

Shepherd = adorable!!

Present time!  The adults decided we were going to dial it back this year for the kids, and I loved it.  The kids got a few gifts that they really loved, and we spent more time playing with the new toys (and each other) and less time opening.  We got Lila and Teddy one toy and gave them each a gift card in a handmade book with ideas of how they could spend it.  Brady, Rudy, and I had fun creating the books, and brainstorming fun ways that Lila and Teddy could spend the money.  

Lila getting help reading her gift card book:

Brian is notorious for never giving anyone gift ideas.  Rebecca is almost as bad.  This year, I sent a link to the inflatable Christmas decor section and said I was going to select one or two for their house if they didn't send me some ideas.  I'm pretty sure I got Rebecca's wish list almost immediately.  

Still nothing from Brian, though, so I sent another link to the tacky Christmas attire at Target and told him I might pick from there too.  He said he liked the Gnome sweater...so the lucky guy got this awful sweater and a snowman inflatable for Christmas.  Ha; that'll teach him.  (He doesn't look at all disappointed, though, does he?)

 

Checking out the new toys!  A hand-painted tea set from Grandma Louise and a LeapPad for Lila.  Vehicle construction for Ted.  Demolition Lab for Brady. 

Chillin' with cousins...