I have so much to share from Christmas 2020. I will need to come back and give time to reflect but it was magical. And not the magical that we typically think of. No visit to Santa. No Polar Express event downtown. No movies in the theatre over break. No neighbor parties. No big family celebration. No church service, sitting with all of our family and lighting candles. But this year taught us the magic of celebrating what we DO have! Our kids loved this Christmas and a lot of the time we heard, " This is the best Christmas ever!" This made me think. Maybe it was never all of those things that made this time magical. Maybe we had a false premise on what made this time special especially for our children. I was talking with one of my friends and I was explaining to her that our gifts might not arrive in time because of all of the shipping delays. She calmly replied, " It's not really about that anyway. You know that. The time together is what your kids crave and remember." Our magic looked different but it felt so, so special.
Our lights are up!
On the wagon out to Blake's Tree Farm!
We had the whole wagon to ourselves.
Very safe and socially distanced. :)
We found our tree for 2020! I found the tree this year (even though Luke thinks he totally did. )
OMG. This moment was priceless. Ben could NOT saw the tree down. He kept trying, out of breath, holding his chest kinda trying. I was dying laughing. In the end, Ben got the tree!
Little notes that Ben and I each found on our nightstands. Love you so much Luke.
Hot cocoa in these so cute personalized mugs dropped off from our McG teachers!
Gingerbread houses!
Christmas lists from 2020!
We took a trip downtown to look at the Big Light Show and mail out our Christmas lists.
Off they go!
Elle got a letter mailed back to her from the North Pole!
Drew on Zoom with his class to celebrate Christmas! The last day before break!
Drew wanted to know which reindeer was which so him and Elle made nametags for each reindeer. :)
Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2020!
The gingerbread man below... So here's the story. I had bought eyeballs to decorate our cookies this year and they came in a few different sizes. Last Fall, Luke had gotten surgery on his eye because of these sties he kept getting in his eyes. Well, Luke made this cookie and said, " Look, Mom! It's a gingerbread man with a sty!" I died laughing. Oh, Luke!!! It was honestly one of the funniest moments. He laughed so hard too and we laughed until we cried.
The boys decided to take their bunkbeds apart for a little bit.
Without a big family get together, Ben and I wanted to make sure that we all could still see each other for Christmas! Our 1st stop was at Papa and Gma Uitti's house! We made chicken noodle soup, brought bowls, plugged the crockpot into the outlet in the van, packed the presents and off we went! It was actually a beautiful day with lots of sun.
Ben had taken the kids out shopping to buy gifts for each of our family members. Usually the kids can go shopping at the Santa Shop at their school but with them being remote Ben took them instead. It was so special. The kids used their own money, setup wrapping stations and wrapped all of the gifts themselves. It took a lot of time and the kids realized how much work went into gifting. They LOVED it though! They loved it almost as much as getting gifts and that felt great.
Drew got Gma cozy, red socks!
Drew got Papa a mini mailbox.
Elle got Papa bird ornaments.
Elle also got Gma cozy socks.
Luke got Gma a coffee mug with chocolates.
Luke got Papa a little yellow house that reminded him of their yellow house.
We all got such special gifts from Papa and Gma.
We then took off for Uncle Tom and Aunt Cathy's house! We got everything out of the car and everyone was out around the firepit when it started to rain! But here's the thing, from 2020 we have learned how to adjust and just go with it so well. So back in the van, we watched Harry Potter and Uncle Tom, Aunt Cathy, and Kate brought us bowls of the soup and appetizers to our windows. The service was on spot!
The rainclouds parted and within a bit we were all back outside together again for round 2.
We had so much fun celebrating! Luke and Elle got rollerblades and Drew got an entire Gryffindor costume!
We stopped by to see Harlow and Auntie Megs and Uncle Chad!
Back at home playing their new game.
Christmas Eve: We watched our candlelight Christmas service from home. Our church had packets to pick up the day before to use during the service.
We were all so tired. It was hard for even me to keep my eyes open. The boys were out.
Elle lasted the whole service thought. She even made the star from wix stix that came in our package.
When the candle time came though, everyone perked up and we lit our candles.
We all sang the carols. During the last song we had a dance party and sang our hearts our to "Go Tell It on the Mountain".
Happy birthday, Jesus!
Making reindeer food!
Eating our yummy Christmas Eve dinner. Ben made a yummy pot roast, we used cloth napkins and lit our candles.
Ben reading "Twas the night before Christmas".
Thank you Bob Thomas for wearing a mask this year!
We put the cookies and milk with a few extra Santa letters...
AND the next morning...MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Luke was up at 5:30 and so was Ben. Those two! They headed downstairs to play NBA Jam until an acceptable time to be awake happened. Elle and Drew came in our bed around 7 and guess what?! Santa came!
I got Ben and the kids a ballpark tour picture frame. I printed out the pics from the ballparks we had already visited but we have some more to get too!
The next day, we headed up to TC! The lights were all still put up from where Luke hung them at Thanksgiving. Elle looking at all of the gifts 😍
Christmas cookies for dessert made by Gma!
Luke got Papa C. a koozi that says " Sundays are for football".
Luke got Gma a matching towel and oven mitt set.
Drew got Gma bead necklaces.
Drew got Papa a mug.
Elle got Papa a laser pointer.
Elle got Gma cozy socks.
Love you Mom and Dad!
What could be in these boxes?!?
Matching Christmas pajamas! I have never see Ben wear actual pajama pants before.
We watched a movie every night before bed. The only way to do it over Christmas break!
Gma and Luke made an "English" snowman.
Ben and Papa figured out the power light on the generator!
Luke and Papa on dish duty.
This is up on the hill behind mom and dad's house. The view is so pretty!
There is a natural preservation park behind their property and we had fun hiking all around.
Home, sweet home.
Luke putting together his Lego gift from Aunt Nae, The Hogwarts Express!
Done!
And that's a wrap. Our tummies and hearts are full!
