Kirkwood Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with the Kirkwood side on the weekend before Christmas.  This time it was Colton's turn to get sick an hour after we arrived!   Never a dull moment haha.  But we were grateful to see everyone!  It was a short 24 hour visit but we packed in a lot of everyone's favorite traditions including fancy dinner in the dining room, cousins time, singing carols in the living room, sledding, and eating pizza picnic style in the family room. 

The kids enjoyed giving the gifts they made to the family, and also loved opening gifts chosen just for them.  Summer especially loved getting a full length mirror for her room and a water backpack, Colton especially loved getting a music stand for his drumset and a big wheel scooter, and Larkyn loved her new Rainbow High dolls and closet.  We were all SO excited to use our family gift of money towards skiing which we did the very first weekend we were available!

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa K for the gifts of family, fun, and more!  We love you!

Christmas Eve + Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! 

Our Christmas Eve and Day were much different than planned due to blizzard warnings and sickness, yet we still celebrated Christ's birth from home!

Larkyn was sick much of the days leading up to Christmas, and Paul got sick on Christmas Eve.

The older two and I prepared our traditional gingerbread houses while Larkyn did the best she could to get well.

Christmas Eve

Thankfully, on Christmas Eve she was well enough to watch our virtual Christmas Eve service and make pizza with us.

Earlier that morning we worked on assembling our gingerbread houses, so they were all ready to decorate on Christmas Eve.

We also played a game where the older two kids tried to silently organize the Jesse Tree ornaments in order from memory....but only "sick" Larkyn could talk (from her sick mat haha).

By evening the houses had hardened and were ready for decorating!

Every year, the kids get new PJ's on Christmas Eve.

Ready for Christmas Day!

Christmas Day

We started our morning by reading the Christmas story, and following tradition, the kids used the Little People nativity set to act it out.  They look forward to this every year!  

The kids were most excited about the book lights in their stockings, that allow them to read in the car when its dark or while sharing a room with their siblings when we are out of town!

The kids each thoughtfully chose things for both parents and both of their siblings, and they loved watching others open their gifts!

From us, the kids each got 4 gifts, along a with a new family game.  They each opened a new wall calendar, a new set of sheets, and two items off their lists.  

We had ham and potatoes for dinner and really enjoyed all being together!

Merry Christmas 2022!