Christmas 2016 Recap

Happy Tuesday! Wow what a whirlwind the past few days have been. I think it's safe to say this was the best Christmas to date.

Before I get to that, I'll start with last Friday. I met my friends downtown to eat lunch at the Walnut Room which is inside Macys.  It has been a place I've always wanted to go to and plan to start taking the kids there every year as a tradition (starting next year).

You really can't beat being in Chicago during the holidays, it's so pretty. I'm so glad I got a chance to be down there at this time of  year.

My pretty friends!

The gorgeous tree!

One of the Macy's windows

Friday night was spent snuggling up with the kiddos and watching Christmas movies. When they got to bed I finished up wrapping and then got to preparing our North Pole goodbye breakfast our elf throws every Christmas Eve.  It was a late night but I got everything done and it was all worth it as soon as I heard the kids screaming with excitement that Twinkles put on a breakfast

The rest of Christmas Eve was spent lounging and watching more Christmas movies before we all got ready and headed over to my Moms. This year we went there before our family's Christmas Eve party to exchange gifts. I don't know how it was possible but my Mom bought the kids more stuff this year than ever before and there were some super happy kids (meanwhile myself, Rick, my sister and BIL were all wondering where the heck all this stuff was going to go LOL)

 Ella had been begging to go home for over an hour before we actually left because she wanted to get home and go to bed so Santa could come. We finally left and it was pretty late but we still managed to read the kids The Night Before Christmas and got them all tucked into bed. Then it was time for me to prepare homemade cinnamon rolls which we always have on Christmas morning. Well, I realized I was missing the most important ingredient, yeast! I searched and searched thinking I had 1 packet somewhere but nope. It was now 11:30 on Christmas Eve and I knew running out wasn't an option so I searched for a recipe to make them without using yeast. It was still a process but there was no waiting for dough to rise so that was a plus. (they turned out Ok, but next year I will remember yeast!) - After I was done preparing them, it was time for the hubs and I to bring everything downstairs and put under the tree. Then we nestled on the couch to watch It's a Wonderful Life. I think we got to bed around 2 am. 

I also managed to catch Santa which was pretty fun!! Brayden FLIPPED when he saw this picture. We had talked the night before about trying to catch him so this was pretty amazing for him. 

Christmas morning Brayden came in to our room bright and early, as in 5:30am! We told him it was too early and to lay down with us for a little. We finally all got up a little before 7 but were still waiting on Avery. We let the bigs open their stockings while we waited for her to wake up and she was up shortly after. Then it was presents time! Brayden ripped through his so quickly and the girls were soooooooooo slow ha ha. Seriously, they would open something, love it and just want to play with it and not move on to the next present. We set up my phone to video the morning and at one point it was just me and the hubs in the room because the kids were somewhere else playing with their toys but yet there were still tons of unopened presents. It was quite funny!

       

            

           

We headed to 11am mass and then back home to relax a little before heading to my in laws. I snapped some cute pics of the kids before we left

 

Ella got this Minnie Mouse phone in her stocking and she was taking selfies all morning, it was so funny!

These crazy girls love to stand on my in laws couches in the basement and jump into the "pit" aka a pile of blankets.

 

 We got home around 7 and let the kids lounge for a while and I had to do a double take with Avery, she looks 5 laying here with her tablet!

Then we called it a night and poor Ella was crying going to bed that she wanted Santa to come again. I think the hubby and I were passed out on the couch by 9:30. It was a long couple of days but so much fun. I am so sad to see Christmas go but I'm still watching Christmas movies this week, so it's keeping the season alive a little more :)