1.07.2019

Our Christmas

We had the best Christmas. Leo is at such a fun age and it was just so special to have our family witness the joy of Christmas again through his eyes. 

We started the Christmas weekend off with Brunch with Santa at my parents Country Club. My sisters and I have been going to this brunch for twenty years, and again - to now go to it as a mom - is really special. I used to dream about that when I was 12, and now I'm living it out. 



Leo wasn't super thrilled with the idea of sitting on Santa's lap, but he did well, and didn't meltdown so we'll call it a win.



Joel and I hosted Christmas Eve for my Dad's side of the family, and ended up hosting 34 for dinner, with an extra 6 for happy hour/Santa gifts. The house was full - but it was one of the best times ever.

After brunch, we headed back to our house to start the prep work. My sisters, mom, and I put together 2 massive lasagnas, we set up the bar, the tables, and Joel prepped the beef tenderloin, shrimp and salmon appitizers, and made sure we were ready to roll. 





Christmas Eve I met some girlfriends for yoga at 7:30. It was the smartest way to start the day.


After we got the kids ready, before we knew it, the day had begun. We had guests arrive at 1pm.


Drinks, good food, kids - it was amazing. Santa even dropped by for a visit.

 




Santa was quite the hit at the party. The kids were in awe and every parent brought a wrapped gift for their own kid - which made the "exchange" really simple.

We sat for dinner at 5pm, we set up a buffet in the kitchen and then had one giant table in the living and dining room for everyone to sit at.



After dessert, most people were headed home by 6:30. We cleaned and played games with my sisters and a few cousins, and then Joel and I stayed up until about 11 until we cleaned up the entire party. We put the chairs away, washed every dish - it was a lot of work - but really nice to wake up on Christmas morning without anything to do.



Christmas morning came early - we made cinnamon rolls, and our little family sat around the Christmas tree and exchanged gifts. 


We took our time at home, watched the kids play with their toys - and wrapping paper - and leisurely got ready before we headed to my parents.


We got to my parents around 11, and then opened more gifts with my parents and sisters. Everyone was OUTRAGEOUSLY generous, and we all had gifts to open for like an hour! 


After gifts, my dad made swedish pancakes, and then we all took a long walk. The weather was SO mild for Christmas - like 40/45 degrees - so we were able to take our drinks and the kids and play outside for almost an hour. It was one of my favorite memories of the entire day.



We also played a really fun marbles game while Drew was napping - and then - Joel and my mom prepped an amazing dinner - lobster, corn salad, potatoes....everything was perfect. 




We packed up our car, got our kids home early, and cheersed a glass of wine to a Christmas well spent. 


12 comments:

  1. Man, you guys know how to do a holiday right!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i want to  inform the public how i was cured of herpes  Virus by a Doctor called Dr ishiaku. i visited different hospital but they gave me list of drugs like Famvir, Zovirax, and Valtrex which is very expensive to treat the symptoms and never cured me. I was browsing through the Internet searching for remedy on Herpes and i saw comment of people talking about how Doctor ishiaku cured them. I Was scared because i never believed in the Internet but i was convince to give him a try because i was having no hope of been cured of herpes so i decided to contact him on his email, i searched his email on net and i saw a lot of people testifying about his goodness. when i contacted him he gave me hope and send a Herbal medicine to me that i took and it seriously worked for me, am a free person now without problem, my HERPES result came out negative. You can contact him on his
      Email: ishiakuherbalcure@gmail.com or whatsapp him via +2348180828544 and get all your problem solved.
      1)Sickness of any kind
      2)Help to CURE Hepatitis B, herpes, HIV/AIDS CANCER and BIPOLAR
      3)Divorce, Breakup problem and To Re-unit
      4)Pregnancy problem
      5)Financial problem and Job promotion
      6)To get a good and rich life partner
      7)To Lose your wrath
      8)to enlargement of manhood

      Delete
  2. What a wonderful Christmas! I know it's so much work to host, but it's so worth it! I also love that selfie of you and Leo. It's so sweet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Natural herbs have cured so many illness that drugs and injection cant
      cure. I've seen the great importance of natural herbs and the wonderful
      work they have done in people's lives. i read people's testimonies online
      on how they were cured of herpes, HIV, diabetics etc by Dr. voodoo herbal
      medicine, so i decided to contact the doctor because i know nature has the
      power to heal anything. I was diagnosed with HIV for the past 7 years but
      Dr. voodoo cured me with his herbs and i referred my aunt and her husband
      to him immediately because they were both suffering from herpes but to God
      be the glory, they were cured too .I know is hard to believe but am a
      living testimony. There is no harm trying herbs. He is also a spell caster,
      he cast spell to restore broken marriages and he cast good luck spells to
      prosper and excel in life. Contact Dr voodoo on Whatsapp or call him
      +2348140120719 OR email him voodoospelltemple66@gmail.com

      Delete
  3. My profound gratitude goes to Dr.Oduduwa,his medicine was extremely helpful to my daughter's health, finally restored back to normal good health.
    I have had a daughter with fibromyalgia for 21 years now , and my doctor have prescribe me with different kinds of western drugs
    without no improvement in my daughter symptoms .
    I'm so glad I have found Dr.Oduduwa medicine (as I was surfing the net for a solution and saw a recommendation for it on a women's health forum early this year).
    I have felt so empowered by the knowledge you have given me and I quickly self diagnosed the individual cause of my daughter fibromyalgia and armed with his clear instructions,
    I was finally able to beat this monster, in less than 4 weeks of using Dr.Oduduwa Herbal medication on my daughter.
    she went for a checkup and it was clear that my daughter fibromyalgia is finally cured and gone forever without any trace, i took my daughter to hospital for hospital text and medical check ups but no disease or infection was found anymore.
    thanks to Dr.Oduduwa for God using this great man to save life and restore good health to many.
    you can also email him for help via his personal contact address:

    (dr.oduduwaspellcaster@gmail. com)

    Dr.Oduduwa expert Roots and Herbs medicine to cure the following:
    Aagenaes syndrome.
    Aarskog syndrome.
    Aase Smith syndrome.
    ABCD syndrome.
    Abderhalden Kaufmann Lignac syndrome.
    Abdominal aortic aneurysm.
    Abdominal chemodectomas with cutaneous angiolipomas.
    Abdominal cystic lymphangioma.
    * Love Spells Win-Back Ex lover
    * Success & promotion magic spell
    * lucky charm - BUSINESS STAR
    * wards - PROTECTIVE HOOK
    * curse resolution, spiritual cleansing from evil spirit.
    * Traditional roots and Herbals to Cure Sickness, Cure to Cancer Disease, Cure HIV
    * fertility magic - FRUITS OF WOMEN have children.
    * decreeing magic, SPELL LOTTERY & WIN-GAMES SPELL
    here you can send message to Oduduwa to help you instantly solution within 42 hours
    Oduduwa personal email address (dr.oduduwaspellcaster@gmail. com)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved, loved this post. Your Christmas celebrations looked so lovely. Christmas Eve sounded especially special. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I will recommend everyone to Contact Priest Babaka through email babaka.wolf@gmail.com or Facebook at priest.babaka for urgent and fast love spell, He is the best spell caster who you can count on and trust. My husband is back home after our separation, with the help of Priest Babaka. I am so happy to have my family happy again. I highly recommend him to anyone that need help to fix issue of any such:

    Are you in need of herbal treatment?
    Are you in need of relationship advice or help?
    Are you in need of spell to get your ex-lover?
    Are you in need of spell to get a child?
    Do you need cure to any illness or disease?
    Do you need help to get promoted in office or business? e.t.c..

    his email again is babaka.wolf@gmail.com or Facebook at priest.babaka thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Do you need any kind of loan if yes my contract Mr Anthony who help me with a loan just few week's back , i just need to share this round the world to let people know that there are still good heated people in the world today . I really lost money to scammers online all because i was desperate for a loan . Until i saw a comment about him , contacting him his not a mistake but a dreams come through for me . Now I'm a happy man with my family . Contact him if you need any loan at :inforamzanloan@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. My name are Latiesha Bell my great testimony on how i conceive With the help of a man called Dr Zico I was able to get pregnant. I'm 39, it was really difficult for me to conceive, I was diagnosed with PCOS and premature ovarian failure but after many years of trying, I came across Dr Zico whose email address is zicoherbalhome@gmail.com, I bought a pregnancy herbs (natural ingredents ) from him and he sent it to me through UPS and after I used it as he instructed, I fall pregnant two weeks latter I'm 7 months pregnant now. Also I will like to advice anyone looking for help to get pregnant to contact this very man, his prayers/guidelines and herbs are effective. his email address: zicoherbalhome@gmail.com


    My name are Latiesha Bell my great testimony on how i conceive With the help of a man called Dr Zico I was able to get pregnant. I'm 39, it was really difficult for me to conceive, I was diagnosed with PCOS and premature ovarian failure but after many years of trying, I came across Dr Zico whose email address is zicoherbalhome@gmail.com, I bought a pregnancy herbs (natural ingredents ) from him and he sent it to me through UPS and after I used it as he instructed, I fall pregnant two weeks latter I'm 7 months pregnant now. Also I will like to advice anyone looking for help to get pregnant to contact this very man, his prayers/guidelines and herbs are effective. his email address: zicoherbalhome@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Dr Ishiaku herbal medicine is mighty and genuine,I use to use Mellisa oil and Lavender Healing herbs but result were just still the same.But using Doctor Ishiaku herbal medicine cured my herpes final and I have being living for 2 years now No Sores.My herpes is truely gone.Contact him if you interested of his herbal medicine too Dr Ishiaku can as well cure the following....HIV...HERPES,,COPD..FIBROID..ASTHMA..DIABETES..SICKLE CELL...ALS..EPILEPSY,,HEPATTITIS...CANCER...LOVE SPELL ...ishiakuherbalcure@gmail.com Or Whats-app Number On +2348180828544  

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happiness is all i see now I never thought that I will be cured from HERPES virus again. I have been suffering from a deadly disease (HERPES) for the past 3 years now, I had spent a lot of money going from one places to another, from churches to churches, hospitals have been my home every day residence. Constant checks up have been my hobby not until this faithful day, I was searching through the internet, I saw a testimony on how DR agaba helped someone in curing his HERPES disease, quickly I copied his email which is Dragabasolutionhome@gmail.com just to give him a test I spoke to him, he asked me to do some certain things which I did, he told me that he is going to provide the herbal cure to me, which he did, then he asked me to go for medical checkup after some days after using the herbal cure, behold I was free from the deadly disease, he only asked me to post the testimony through the whole world, faithfully am doing it now, please brothers and sisters, he is great, I owe him in return. if you are having a similar problem just email him on : Dragabasolutionhome@gmail.com or WhatApp: +2349074536486  

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hello everyone.. I was married for 8years with William. things started getting ugly and we had fights and arguments almost every time. it got worse at a point that he filed for divorce. I tried my best to make him change his mind & stay with me. But he moved out of the house and still went ahead to file for the divorce. I pleaded and tried everything but still nothing worked. The breakthrough came when a friend introduced me to this wonderful, great spell caster who eventually helped me out. I have never been a fan of things like this but just decided to try reluctantly cause I was desperate and left with no choice. He did special prayers and used roots and herbs. Within 4 days he called me and was sorry for all the emotional trauma he had cost me, he moved back to the house and we continue to live happily. what a wonderful miracle Dr Freedom did for me and my family. I have introduced him to a lot of couples with problems across the world and they have had good news. I strongly believe someone out there need's his help.( freedomspellcast@gmail.com  or reach him on WhatsApp at  +2348070670337 so make extra effort to save your marriage/relationship,you can also contact him if you have any problems..

    ReplyDelete