Hip Hip Hooray for Christmas Vacation

I always have plans, ideas, expectations in my head for the holidays. I rarely execute all of them. As much as I tell myself I am not going to stress I always do. This year was not exception, but I did better. Notice I said better and not great. We did a lot of baking. It calms me. I remember one day in the middle of cleaning the house and doing laundry I stopped everything and baked 3 dozen cookies. Who doesn't need 3 dozen cookies on a random Saturday in the middle of December. My waist now hates me for those 3 dozen cookies, and the salted caramel bark, and the Kentucky pie.

My parents, famously known as Gigi and Papaw, hit town the Sunday before Christmas. Olivia was beyond excited to have an entire week with her grandparents. If I had a quarter for every time she uttered the words Gigi or Papaw I could pay off our house. My poor parents. I know they loved every minute of it, but I think they needed a vacation to get over their vacation.

Miss Caroline came down with a horrible cold then weekend before Christmas. Her poor little eyes and face were so swollen. She ran a low grade temperature and had a little cough, but she remained in the best mood. All she did was sleep. We had to wake her up at 9:30 a.m. Christmas morning so she wouldn't miss the festivities entirely.

All puffy and snotty, but still as sweet as can be.

Christmas Eve we baked cookies and pies. Did a little last minute wrapping, and watched the best Christmas movies of all time-Christmas Vacation and Elf. There might have been hot coco involved. Oh and marshmallows and a fire. Olivia decorated cookies for Santa, and picked out the perfect carrots for his reindeer. She sprinkled reindeer food in the front yard so they would know to come to her house. She was beyond excited, and really got into Christmas this year.



Sprinkling reindeer food.



Santa did not disappoint. Olivia received a new bicycle and a penguin parade. (Ever since seeing Mr. Poppers Penguins she had been asking for a penguin parade for Christmas). American Girl invaded our house along with several outfits and a carrying case.

Santa left a wagon for Caroline, and she and Olivia enjoy rides around the neighborhood.

After stuffing ourselves with monkey bread we headed over to our neighbors house for brunch. We are blessed to have wonderful neighbors who love our children and have taken us in like we are family. After brunch we began prepping for our Christmas dinner. Like we needed to eat again. Another set of neighbors joined us for Christmas dinner. We introduced them to several southern favorites, they are originally form Canada, and I don't think they were too shocked. After stuffing ourselves for the third time that day we all donned our fat pants and passed out in our respective places on the couch or chairs. Olivia and Caroline spent the rest of the week hanging out with their grandparents while Robert and I returned to work. It was so nice to have my parents here. That is one of my favorite memories growing up was having my grandparents spend the night with us Christmas eve and open gifts with us Christmas morning. Mom kept breakfast simple, usually sweet rolls and sausage biscuits. And we would sit around in our pjs and play until it was time to go to their house for Christmas lunch. We have started our own tradition of having homemade monkey bread and pigs-n-blanket on Christmas morning. I love that our little family is finding and making its own traditions. That's what it is all about. When I find myself getting wrapped up in what I think I should be doing I have to stop and remind myself that this is the only year Olivia will be four at Christmas and this is the only first Christmas Caroline will experience. They could care less if the house is clean, the laundry is done, and if I have executed all of my pinterest ideas. They will remember mommy letting them make a mess in the kitchen while we baked, tasting a sugar cookie for the first time, and licking icing off of the spoon. Kids do not require big gestures or elaborate plans. They require love and patience.