Christmas in Hindsight - Part 3

We started Christmas Day at home. Gifts, birthday coffee cake and pj's. Daniel read a story he illustrated that was based on the Christmas Story. This story focused mainly on the angel; a side effect of his recent fame in the school Christmas Pageant.

Around lunch time we headed out to Aunt Sara's for some time with the Hahn/Henson clan. I was talking and eating too much to take pictures. This was a Christmas of firsts. Nathan's first Christmas ever, Blake & Austin's first Christmas shared between 2 homes, and our first Christmas with Sherry and Rachael. Daniel and Addie had the usual blast playing with their cousins.

Later that afternoon, Aunt Sara and Daddy took the kids out to make snow angels and go sledding.The next day we had another Christmas celebration with Gram's family, but my camera never made it out of the diaper bag. That night was fun, too, but it's when I hit my limit for people and especially presents. I'm certainly grateful for how much my family loves our kids. But 4+ days of Christmas makes this claustrophobic introvert want to go Alexander Supertramp.

Christmas in Hindsight - Part 2

Christmas Eve gifted us with a beautiful snowfall. It was a perfect, magical, heavy snow that clung to the trees and made the whole city quiet.

Christmas Eve night we headed to Great Grandma's for dinner and cookies with Paw-Paw's family. 17 people crammed into Great Grandma's little apartment is rather claustrophobic. Add to that a large collection of fragile knick knacks, a food-stealing dog, neighbors who cannot tolerate noise, and a new cousin due this spring and one could see why I am campaigning for a change of venue for next year.

Given the circumstances, the kids all did great. Lots of fun with cousins, TONS of gifts from Santa and of course, Great Grandma's famous Christmas Cookie spread.

Gram helping out with Nathan.

Paw-Paw keeping the kids entertained before dinner. I love this picture for so many reasons.

The whole Schoeneberg/Barken Family, minus Peter who was at work. Our first Christmas without Great Grandpa. He was still there in conversations about his wood carvings and his favorite cookies. He would have loved the hustle and bustle of all of us together.

Christmas in Hindsight - Part 1

Once January 1st rolled around I was rather over the holidays. In the moment Christmas was fun, precious and family-filled. But the week after it just felt busy and accumulating. So I needed a little distance before a recap.

The festivities started with Santa House at the kids' school. Gram was sweet enough to accompany Addie and I was able to spend the day with Daniel. We made crafts, met with Santa and Daniel starred as the angel in the pageant.

Daniel and some of his buddies from class.

The entire cast (minus one king) of the 2010 Kindergarten Christmas Pageant. Kings had to play double duty as Inn Keepers and there was only one Shepherd because the class is so small. Thank goodness for Caitlyn or one of the boys would have had to play Mary.

Daniel as "The Angel Daniel" who insisted on sharing the good news with both the shepherds AND the kings because, "they'd want to know, too." Lucky for Daniel Mrs. Villa isn't a stickler for biblical accuracy.