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A Birthday. And Christmas, 2014.

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Now that Christmas is over, I just want to share some of our family events. Albeit, most of the photos are of the kids because I am usually the one taking them like crazy! I do take a lot of photos and put them on the blog so I (we) can remember all the stuff we did.

If you would like to see other happenings around hereย from all the decorating and shopping and “what-nots” you can go here.ย For last year’s Christmas see here. No snow this Christmas as opposed to last years. At the very end of October into November this year, the snow came in but then things seemed to have calmed down since.

  • Monday December 22, 2014. Our second daughter turned 2 years old (just 3 days before Christmas).

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Breakfast. The kids love homemade waffles and pancakes and the “like”.

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On the day of her birthday, she was still sort of getting over a VERY rough week with a cold. So, I was so happy that she had enough strength to get up and play for a long while on her birthday. So, so, so happy!

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A small treat. Ice-cream cones. No ice-cream in it. They love to eat it this way, at times.

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I made her a two-layer chocolate cake the previous night and decided to frost it on the day of. The frosting failed and I was out of powdered sugar. I wanted to do an ice-cream cake but opted out. The kids did not seem to mind the runny frosting and are still enjoying some of it here, before I trashed the rest of it!

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However, after the frosting failed, I decided to let hubby pick up a small cake at Jewel Osco grocery store. They did not have the color I desired – they usually have multi-colored stuff there but it does taste good.

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After dinner, we celebrated with some cake just between us a family. Her sister turned 4 in November and had some friends over for a playdate, but we figured there was no point in forcing playdates and all kinds of huge party on this little, not so feeling-well 2 year old. Hopefully, when she gets a bit older, she will be able to choose her friends for her parties.

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  • Tuesday December 23, 2014ย (Theย Eve of the Eve). I decided to take the kids shopping to pick out some gifts with some money they had saved up (specifically for buying gifts). We only went to Walmart (just down the street). Each kid picked out one gift. Of course, the older one wanted a Rapunzel Costume (she loves all those princess costumes and has a bunch them). The other birthday kid loves to hold smaller size dolls so she chose one that is from Dora the Explorer, I believe. I also needed to get her a birthday present from us (1 day late). It gets difficult when birthdays and Christmases are so close. In addition, everything is usually passed down from kid #1 to kid #2, providing they are of the same gender. I did get her something, though.

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  • Wednesday December 24, 2014 (Christmas Eve).ย I had a pre-baby appointment in the morning and then after, we decided to take our Birthday girl to the mall to play. This place never gets old for our kids, especially around their birthdays. Needless to say, our trip was short because the birthday girl still was getting over a cold and did not seem to be having a good day. We simply went back home, instead of being out all day. Trying not to be out ALL day longย these days.

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  • And here we are trying to get some photos when we returned home. We wanted to take them at mall’s Christmas display but of course, that did not happen. They are not the best photos but it is one of the best we could get with the smallest kid and (her wrinkly hair) not really cooperating. So we had to take them individually. Oh well! Here I am at 39 weeks expecting on Christmas Eve.

Most people say I look like I am about 4 or 5 months pregnant and not 9 months. But I was that way too with our first two kids. Maybe been tall has something to do with it – the body stretches upward? Who knows:)

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But later that day, after we all had naps (tired mom, too), we decided to make more Christmas cookies or make a mess as the following photo shows, while daddy was out shopping. (The kids are making a mess with cookie dough and flour, I was actually making real gingerbread and sugar cookies).

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Then we had hot cocoa and tea. After we all got cleaned up and daddy returned, the kids got to open one gift (pajamas) and they loved it so! (I did not want the kids to spill hot drinks on their pjs so that’s why they drank it before).

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They put them on and then did the rest of the Christmas printables I made to teach them about Christ’s birth:ย Pre-School Printable Activity Sheets for teaching the “Birth of Jesus” Storyย &ย The Birth of Jesus Christ – 25 Days of Christmas Printable for Pre-K.ย 

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After this, daddy read some Christmas books by the fireplace and thenย theย kids did some more coloring from their other coloring books. They then had apple slices while they watched Disney cartoon.

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  • Thursday December 25, 2014 (Christmas Morn). We all got up and sat on the couches in the living room to pray, readย the bible, and discuss about the birth of Jesus. Then the eager kids (especially our 4 year old who wanted to open the gifts days before) got to open presents. Sorry photos are little dark here – trying out a new camera hubby got me for Christmas.

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This aqua doodle art that their dad got them keeps them busy all the time. They use water to color the mat. The mat dries out. And they color again and repeat the process over and over again.

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35Then of course breakfast, light lunch, and late Christmas dinner this year. Since it was just us, we decided we would eat after the kids had their naps instead of a late lunch, like we usually did.ย We ate around 6pm.

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Now it’s all lighted up and ready for dinner!

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At night, we went Christmas light watching.

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I always loved watching light displays when I wasย growing up so we kind of started a little tradition here a few years ago. We would drive around and drink hot cocoa/coffee as we watch the beautiful lights. This year, the kids decided they wanted ice-cream cones instead of hot cocoa. Well, they got it (outside was cold, but the heat in the van sure made the temp ok for them to have ice-cream). We parents had our hot drinks.

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  • Friday December 26, 2014. And then of course, back to reality the day following Christmas. Kids had their pediatrician check-up after what seemed like months. And then home to just clean and organize before the baby comes. We got some stuff done but like they say, “Rome was not built in one day”!

So that was our Christmas happenings. How was yours? Did you do anything new or special this year or did you keep your regular traditions?

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27, KJV).

 

 

 

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14 thoughts on “A Birthday. And Christmas, 2014.

  1. Wow Zan, for being low key y’all seemed very busy! My oldest daughter (now 36) was born on Dec. 26th so we know about those Christmas birthdays! I used to take down all the Christmas decor and have her a little family party so she would feel special. Now that she is grown with her own family she has her own tradition. We drive down there and have PIzza Hut pizza every year! LoL, it’s the simple things, right.
    Your babies are all in the holiday season now!
    How tall are you? I agree that you did not look 9 months pregnant in that photo!
    Your table decor was just beautiufl!

    1. I meant “Low key” as far as being out All day long!!! So we did not feel pressure because we did so many fun stuff at home! BTW: I am 5.8″

    1. Ahhhhhhhh…thank you for the sweet compliments Amanda! The baby is already here from since I posted this:) Hope you have a wonderful New Year!!!

  2. Oh, what a fun Christmas! Love all of your traditions. All of my children are grown and most of them come over on Christmas Eve and we have soups, sandwiches and appetizers. Then everyone comes over for Christmas lunch and then we open gifts. The grands always say that it’s the best Christmas they’ve ever had.

    Your pictures are all beautiful. Happy New Year!

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