Christmas Break

It was a very good Christmas this year.  It was a nice, relaxing morning with the kids.  We kept the gifts a bit more modest this year, and followed the "want, need, wear, read" rule.  I liked it.  They seemed happy about it too.  

 

We tried to start early this year, so the kids had time to put some thought into making gifts for other people.  It was a good Christmas season. 

Unfortunately we started getting sick, and Jess had time home from work, which we spent taking care of sick people.  Most of the kids felt okay, just had awful coughs.  Reed got pretty sick though.  He had a couple days of having a fever and just feeling pretty bad and not sleeping well for several nights.  He had an ear infection AND I felt two new teeth this morning.  So he had a rough few days.  Poor boy. 

I didn't mind the "just us at home" part though.  We had planned to rent a cabin in the Hualapais during Jess's break, so that didn't work out.  We just relaxed at home.

 We watched shows and movies together, played games..

  ....Cason learned to draw Pikachu.  I was pretty impressed by this.

On Wednesday we got the most snow we've had in quite a long time. 

 

 

The kids loved it.  They aren't used to it of course so they took lots of breaks to warm up, between playing in the snow.

Reed wasn't sure about it at first, but he really wasn't feeling good either.

 He was much more himself the next day, and there was still plenty of snow to enjoy, plus some icicles.

  He was a much bigger fan this time.  He stayed out in it much longer than the bigger kids, in fact.

 

Neely, Cason, and I started a snowman.  Paige had already gone inside to warm up, and soon Cason went in too, because his hands were getting frostbitten.  Neely lasted about ten minutes. Then I worked alone until Reed came to help a bit.  :)

Christmas Crafts Days 16-20

 Day 16:

We went over to the Cassons' house for a playdate and the little kids made suncatchers with those melty beads, with a bit of help from their moms.

Neely's is the ornament, Liam's is the Santa, Colin's is the snowman. 

Reed wandered around, stealing ornaments off their tree and smiling at Amelia.

He gives her the cutest smiles, you can tell he feels big. 

While their suncatchers were in the oven, they had some pizza and watched Frosty the Snowman.

Sarah sent suncatchers home for the big kids to do that afternoon.  It ended up being a rough afternoon for us, lots of frustration and fighting, and they kept getting their suncatchers ready, only to have me ruin them when I tried to put them in the oven.  (My dumb oven rack seems to be a little bent or something).  

We eventually gave up and they colored the 3-D Christmas trees(also from Sarah)

 

 

 During the fighting, Paige told me "Maybe doing a craft every day isn't a good idea."  Ha.  Sooooo we decided to do some simple crafts for a few days. 

On the 17th we nearly forgot to do one-and close to bedtime I looked up an idea for a quick, easy one.  We settled on thumbprint Christmas lights.  

 

 

 

 On the 18th, Veronica had us over and they each picked a craft to make.  I think Paige and Lily are the only ones who picked anything Christmas related, but I'll count us eating Veronica's chocolate peppermint cookies as a Christmas activity.  Ha!

 

 From left-right, Cason's panda, Lily's polar bear in a hat, Paige's elf and penguin

 Neely made a "cat".  Ha!

Reed went through their art stuff.

On the 19th, we did popsicle stick reindeer.  Paige got mad at me again and didn't finish hers.  Ha.

On the 20th, I set up a sleepover for them with Grampa and Grama Trudi, so that Jess and I could take just Reed and finish our shopping, and wrap gifts without them there to peek.  So we did another quick one that day, before seeing them off on their sleepover.

Thumbprint candy canes.

This isn't one of our official crafts, but on Monday Sarah came by to drop something off and while they were here Colin asked her to draw for him.  Neely was inspired by Sarah's picture and drew this one.  I think it's so cute.  I love how she drew the antlers, and how Santa is hanging upside down on his way up the side of the house.

Christmas/Winter Crafts Days 11-15

On Thursday last week, there was some crankiness, and it was probably the least fun we've had doing our craft of the day so far this month.  We got it done though!  Ha.  I sent the kids out in the yard to hunt for sticks that they liked for antlers.  Then we used felt, buttons, sequin noses, and hot glue to make little reindeer ornaments.  

On Friday, we did a more involved one, since the big kids didn't have school.  Egg carton Santa's sleigh and reindeer.  

They really liked this one.  I loved the faces Neely made for her reindeer.  They were all unique. 

 

 She even decided this crazy fella should have no nose, and crooked eyes.

On Saturday, I decided riding the Polar Express was more than sufficient as our Christmas activity for the day.  :)

Sunday we made Christmas cards.  I'd come across two little girls online, who are sick, and had asked for lots of Christmas cards this year.  So the kids each made one.

I've been looking online for craft ideas, and have quite a few saved, but don't have our days planned out.  I just pull them up a bit before the kids get home from school, and pick one to do.  So today, when Sarah stopped by with some crafting goodies she got in Flagstaff, I let the kids do that for today.  One was a suncatcher that you paint-and I knew immediately which one each of them would choose.  I was right, Paige wanted the owl, Cason wanted the penguin, and Neely wanted the fox.  They loved this one.  I'll have to pick up more of these next time I'm in a craft store apparently.  Thanks Sarah!