Christmas

Christmas with kids is MAGICAL! I love it so much-seeing their excitement and their love of traditions and the fun moments that the holidays bring.  It was very sweet also with it being McCall's first Christmas. She definitely loved the wrapping paper the best but was happy and content with all these different people holding her.

I got this cute little elf outfit from a friend and McCall was quite possibly the cutest little elf on the shelf!

Christmas Eve we watched the Seahawks game in the morning and did some last minute gift prep and then it was sandwich time. First up signing the board and McCall even drew a few lines on for her name.

Then making the sandwich.

Three cute Christmas girls ready for carry the sandwich around the house.

And of course we had to light our Santa candles.

Sandwich all ready to go!

Traditional song and carrying the sandwich around the house.

Then Nona had her mismatch nativity and the girls put it together while I read from the scriptures. The funny thing is that she was missing a piece and of all the pieces to be missing it was baby Jesus... :) So we laid McCall by it for that part.

The Pop's had his little helpers to hand out the presents from under the tree.

McCall LOVED the wrapping paper- she would grab some and crinkle with her hands, then swing it back and forth, and even get her feet involved. It was so cute to watch.

Then back to our house for Christmas jammies.

Then we got everything ready for Santa. Baylor was excited to use her window markers that she got from Nona to write a note to Santa. The girls sprinkled some magical dust in the front yard to help the reindeer see our house better and we also got the cookies plate all ready for Santa. Then it was time for bed and the so much anticipation for the next day.

Christmas Morning! It was SO much fun! The girls didn't get up until 8:30. I loved their excitement for their own gifts and also for each other when someone else was opening a gift. There were just so many cute comments like Baylor opening her makeup kit that looked like a little suitcase and she said she could bring it on holiday (thank you Peppa Pig). :) 

Paige and Baylor loved helping McCall open her gifts and again McCall was very interested in the wrapping paper and kept trying to put it in her mouth and shake it all around.

We were able to open all the Santa gifts and then took a break to get ready and go to Church. It was a beautiful Christmas service and the girls looked so beautiful in their Christmas Sunday best.

So much love and sweetness and joy in one picture!

We got back and then opened up presents from each other. Paige spoiled Baylor and got her so many gifts. In the past month, every time Paige went with Nate thrift shopping she always came back with something to give and she worked hard all month, gathering and wrapping. Baylor gave the sweetest handmade cards and candy from her Halloween bag. She even gave Paige a used light up stick and before Paige even opened it, Baylor said, "It doesn't work anymore." It was the thought that counts and got us all laughing. There is such genuine joy in gift giving and seeing your own kids give gifts to each other that were thoughtful. The girls had fun playing with their gifts and I did a lot of prep for Christmas dinner. I got to wear my Grandma Walker's apron which was a little bittersweet and probably made the rolls taste that much better. 

Then we had our Peterson family Christmas party via Zoom. We did the nativity story and then everyone opened their gifts. It was fun but I do wish we were all in person.

Our Santa candle only had a wick at the very top so it didn't burn very long on Christmas Eve and was a little disappointing since it is such a big and cool candle. So Nate got inventive and dug a hole with a screwdriver though the center and put a piece of string down the center and covered the top with melted wax. We lit it again on Christmas and it burned quick!

We had our Christmas dinner with Nona and Pops and Mike and Christy's family at our house. The little girls had their very own table by the Christmas tree. Then the girls set up a salon  in the bathroom and everyone either got their nails or makeup done. It was pretty cute and nice that the boys even participated.

Annual Christmas pictures with all the gifts. The girls sure were spoiled or according to my mom loved lots this year!

Aaron and his family also came up for the week after Christmas so the girls have gotten lots of cousin time. We had family dinners every evening with lots of visiting. Nate went on thrift store runs with his brothers almost each day. The girls had so much fun and I really didn't see them much when they were with cousins. 

The teenage boys kept everyone entertained by playing snail pace race- a very simple kids game with high stakes. :) They each signed a paper and they would each pick a color. Whoever lost got tied to a bench out on the porch and was tickle tortured. It was so funny to watch!

We also of course had a taste testing one evening and most everyone also went swimming for an hour one evening. I watched while I held McCall and it was so fun to watch Baylor as she became more and more brave with floating on her back with a lifejacket on. It was so cute to watch her little legs move herself around and see her confidence grow in the water. 

It was such an amazing Christmas and a good week filled with lots of family time!