Christmas Part 1 & 2

 Just like everything else this year, Christmas looked a little different.  We actually didn't get to celebrate with Chad's side of the family at all (well, not until much later anyway) and we still haven't celebrated with my brother and his family.  But so goes 2020!  We DID however have a nice Christmas with my parents and then a great Christmas Morning at our house, so no worries...these kids are NOT DEPRIVED.  We had some pretty excited kids this year, as it was a big electronic year!  Nolan got his first cellphone and you'll see by the pictures that he AND his brother were surprised/excited!  Nolan also got AirPods, which I do believe Bennett thought was totally unnecessary (and by that I just mean he was jealous).  Don't feel sorry for Bennett though, he got a shiny new Chromebook and a whole desk set up for his room which he was VERY excited to get all set up.  And finally the princess got her very own "Everly's General Store".  That Santa, he sure does know how to make these kids happy!  The boys showed their appreciation by making (part of) breakfast.  They took care of the Monkey Bread, and it was delicious.  Maybe next year they will tackle the special eggs as well...maybe not.

Christmas Cookies

One of my absolute favorite traditions is decorating Christmas Cookies and it has nothing to do with getting a crap ton of cookies at the end (though that is a nice benefit).  I love seeing the kids be creative and sit and enjoy the simple things with their Grandma AND Grandpa.  That's right, Grandpa *thinks* he is just as good at decorating the cookies as Grandma.  And we just let him think that because well, no one wants to poke the bear.  And honestly he isn't half bad...but not as good as Grandma (or me).  Anyway, this year was probably the best one yet.  We had 3 little creative monsters who enjoyed the day, one who used a whooooooooole lot of sprinkles but she did manage to keep some cookie visible.  It is very easy to pick out the cookies that the princess decorated, they have the most flare!

Santa Visit #2

Well, it happened.  I let all my crazy show, but it was for the sake of a Christmas Miracle so I feel like I can be excused...this time!  Our first visit with Santa this year was very ho hum and that was just not going to do.  So I called in a favor to the North Pole and requested a personal visit from Santa himself.  They obliged and we got a visit from Santa at our house!  We invited a few friends over to share in the fun as well.  Santa read us a book, he talked to each kid about their Christmas wishes, we ate some treats and then I did make the kids suffer through a photograph or two with the big guy.  Hey, it's all about compromise right?  You get to deliver your Christmas wishes directly to Santa...I get a picture to Cheris for years.  It was AMAZING and I can't wait to do it again next year :).

"First" Santa Visit

 Where to start?

1.  I'm crazy

2. Somedays I hide it better than others

Well on this particular day I couldn't hide it, not even a little bit.  There are a lot of things that I've accepted as a part of this pandemic.  But this visit to Santa was not going to make that list, it was in a word "ridiculous".  Hear me out.  The logistics of the visit were fabulous.  You made a reservation, when you arrived they took your temperature and you got in line and there was like 1 other family there.  So that part was fantastic.  But we get up to see Santa and there's a huge piece of plexiglass between Santa and the kids and then on top of it Santa is wearing a plexiglass mask.  So he was EXTRA protected!  Anyway, needless to say there wasn't opportunity for a very good picture and that will never sit well with me.  Now don't get me wrong I never need a perfect Santa picture, I mean we always go to Bass Pro for the free Santa visit but I do want a picture that has a recognizable Santa and I'd really love the opportunity for the kids to actually talk to Santa!  Soooooooo, not to leave too much of a cliffhanger but there may or may not be a second Santa visit in our future.