Christmas Time is Here

Like for most people Christmas time was a fun but busy time for our family. This year was the first year we weren't celebrating with family, so I wanted to make sure we started our own Christmas traditions.

All month long I made my famous, delicious Chocolate Buche de Noel! I had a blast decorating it with edible holy leaves and berries as well as the biggest hit, meringue mushrooms! I was making more than one a week! The buche in this picture was my very first one of the season, it was pretty good... but by Christmas week they were to die for!

We had fun decorating miniature gingerbread houses for our Family Home Evening activity!

 

  

I started painted Jon's face with powered sugar and Kiki had to follow suit of course!

Followed by....Refreshments!

 Christmas Eve was great! I got up early and made hors d'oeuvres for the family to snack on until about 2 and then nothing until dinner time. We played Christmas classic movies, played board games, and listened to Christmas music all day while I was cooking.
I loved preparing the dinner, I wanted to make it more like a traditional french dinner so we started out with my favorite, carrot soup, followed with tomato and mozzarella salad, gratin de pomme de terre, chestnut stuffing (which took FOREVER to make), sauteed green beans, turkey, cheese platter, french baguettes, and buche de noel with homemade ice cream! YUM! I made sure we were eating on our nice China and I even made a table cloth for the special occasion! Our good friends Stacy, James, and baby Abby Davis came and celebrated with us.

After dinner we did a little Christmas presentation, sang hymns and primary songs, then very nicely put our nice Sunday shoes under the tree...

... and by 8:30 everyone was in bed patiently awaiting for Santa!

 All night long Logan woke up out of bed, inspecting the living room, it was so cute! The boys finally got out of bed and sat on the couch around 5 am. I told them that we had to wait 'til at least 7 and Kia Ora to wake up before opening gifts! I'm pretty sure it was pure torture since for the first time ever she slept in 'til 8! They were so patient!

Logan and Julien grinning in front of all Santa brought them!

 Kiki happy as can be!

 

We all got new pajamas

... and socks!

Our new PJ's!

I believe they were a big hit!

Jon got a dutch oven and fire pit! He was so happy!

 

Julien and Logan got bikes and awesome Nerf guns! (I think Jon wished he had gotten one)

They played capture the flag most of the day with their new Nerfs.

 Kiki got some cooking pots, pans, and utensils for her play kitchen along with her princess tricycle. She loved it and has been playing with them most of all the days since Christmas.

I did not expect all that was waiting under the tree for me. 

I was spoiled by Jon and so many!

My long awaited cosmetics gift bag! Kia Ora loved it as much as me!

Jon also got me a Tamale pot, which was a huge surprise. And much much more!

This was my favorite!

Logan gave Jon and I a gift with a note which said: 

"I did a good job being a mom and a dad this year. Love, Logan"

It was so cute!

After opening our many gifts we enjoyed a nice breakfast 

with homemade cinnamon rolls, fruits, and hot cocoa!

The kids finally took their bikes out for a ride!

Jon putting together his fire pit!

 Even though we terribly missed being with family during Christmas, we enjoyed spending a nice, quiet, low key celebration. We were blessed with that was waiting under the tree, but this year and years past we have truly been blessed by our Heavenly Father, and all his many blessing as well the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.