All things Christmas 2012

You literally might want to take a nap before reading this one.  Even I'm not sure that I can remember everything that we packed into the month of December.  But I do know that there were only about three days when we did nothing other than school.  Here are some highlights:

Mika hosted a Christmas cookie decorating pj playdate early in the month.  I have adorable pictures, but I can't find them. Ahhh!!  Mika had every different kind of sprinkles there are, and the kids had an absolute blast!

We visited the Polar Express to meet Santa, taking the train as a family and having lunch together with Christmas Carols and Santa crafts.  Marin wrote out her list for Santa and happily climbed on his lap.  Emilie excited waved to him and when we came her way, she shut down.  When she had to sit on his lap she screamed bloody murder.

The second weekend was Geneva's annual Christmas Walk.  Aunt Vee and Uncle Bob were in town, and Mika and Tom and Tess joined the fun as well.  We all watched as the grand tree was lit, and then Santa Lucia and Santa Claus arrived.  We enjoyed a live nativity and caught a glimpse of the candy cane pull as carolers sang and chestnuts were roasted over open fire.  The next night, Chef Roby at the All Chocolate Kitchen set the World Record for the World's Largest Candy Cane, shutting down the entire street.  It was a site!  Another highlight of the week: Santa called our house asking for Marin!

We attended a dinner party for my dad who semi-retired as he stepped down from his role as managing partner of the law firm that he started over three decades ago and has grown to the largest firm west of Chicago.  It was a very nice evening with many nice tributes to my dad as a lawyer and a man.  I literally couldn't have been more proud of my dad if I tried.  

We hosted a fun dinner for our neighbors and bunco Christmas dinner party for 18- my mom's bunco group with which I played while I was living with her.

We attended the first annual Lion's Club Breakfast with Santa, a fundraiser for the Geneva Lion's Club, of which my dad is a member.

We took the train to the city to meet Nana at for lunch at the Walnut Room!

I hosted the second annual ornament exchange for about 20 of my Geneva girlfriends as a cap off to the year and a toast to good friendship. 

It was our turn to host the ninth (?) annual Conti/Patterson Christmas Dinner, and attempted our ninth annual "family" photo to fits of laughter and nearly peeing our pants.

We attended Finn and Tripp's 5th and 2nd birthday party where the real Santa comes every year much to every child's absolute delight.  As is tradition, he pulled out his giant book and called each family of children up by name, where he told them things that only Santa knows, confirming just how much he's always watching.  Emilie hated him.  Marin was enamored.

We hosted the Patterson Family Christmas at our house, but missed Brandon and Holly and the kids, who recently moved to Alabama.  We had a good weekend of shopping and spending time together.

Marin had her very first ballet recital, where she performed as a snowflake in the Nutcracker and did a wonderful job, even as one of the youngest performers!  We were sooooo proud of her!  And she gathered quite the crowd!  Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Jake, Aunt Katy, GG, OG, Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Derek, Nana, Pappy, Emilie, Daddy and Mommy were all there to cheer her on!

We celebrated my mom's birthday party with a dinner at our house and family gathered to celebrate what a great mom, grandma, friend and person she is!

We baked Christmas cookies with extra sprinkles, of course.  Once, with my Grandma at her house, and once with my mom at ours.

We hosted a Christmas playdate after the last day of school before winter break with Marin's friend Joy.

We hosted the Hinrichs Family Christmas where we enjoyed time together and laughed hard!  Jason bought everyone a remake of the beloved waffle maker their Grandma used to cook up Saturday morning waffles on- Neal likes his burnt.  At dinner, Neal, remembering a story from the previous Christmas, boycotted my fancy salt and pepper shakers and thought ahead to bring his own, from Arby's.  But don't worry, he displayed it nicely by his placecard.  After a group bath, the kids all got into their matching Christmas jammies from Aunt 'Cole.

On Christmas Eve we attended church at our church, Old St. Patrick's Church in Chicago, with my parents.  Then we came back to our house and had fondue, our Christmas Eve tradition.  As the matriarch and patriarch of the family, we let my parents open the first presents of Christmas.  My mom's present was a baby carriage charm for her Pandora bracelet.  She said, "Awww, a baby carriage!  I love it!...Are you pregnant?!!!"  It was fun. That was also the first time that Marin and Emilie knew that we were pregnant.  Marin said, "Are you kiddin' me?!!!"  Both girls are so excited!  Later, the girls changed into their jammies, set out cookies for Santa (Marin wrote him a note), and spread reindeer food on the front lawn.  Then Jason read The Night Before Christmas, and the girls fell fast asleep.

Christmas morning was magical.  Almost 3 and 1 1/2 are such fun ages for Christmas morning.  Both girls were SO excited about their gifts.  Marin, especially was on cloud nine, that Santa brought her everything she had asked him for.  It was really special.  Jake and Katy and Grandma and Grandpa came over to watch them open presents in the morning, and from there we went over to my parents house for more presents from them.  Everyone was beyond spoiled.

After presents we went back home so the kids could have naps, and then we went back to my parents house for Christmas dinner.  Jason's Uncle Jim and Lindsay joined us for dinner, which was great.  We had a delicious dinner together and a great time.

Three days after Christmas, we packed up and headed to the Florida Keys.  Our neighbors, Web and Kristy invited us to join them as they were going to meet their family.  It was so warm and so fun.  The kids all had a blast, throwing nightly dance parties and performances and the adults had a great time too, playing games and setting off fireworks on the beach.  We were there for New Years Eve, and into the first week of the year.  Then we had to head back to reality.  And the cold.  But not before a 24 hour delay and an unexpected additional overnight in Miami.

The same day we returned, we had our Martin Family Christmas at my Uncle Reed and Aunt Jeanie's house.  It was great getting all of the kids together, and always great to have the whole family together.  What a treat- and the perfect way to end the season.