Christmas 2010

Okay, so this is a bit late in posting, but what can I say. The kids are off school, Braden's off work and well, it's kinda nice to just hang out as a family . . . but . . . I know I've been asked for pics so here is a post, pretty much all pictures, just for you!!!

On Christmas Eve we started the evening off by going to the Christmas Eve service at our church - which Emma looks forward too a lot! During the service all the children were asked to come up and hold battery operated candles (thank goodness!!!) during the singing of 'Silent Night'. Our kids loved that!

Kids at front of church for Silent Night

Kaleb holding candle up as high as he can

Navia had fun singing beside her big sister!

Another Christmas tradition is Reindeer Food - yep - every Christmas Eve before the kids go to bed we sprinkle reindeer food in the front yard so that Santa's reindeer know which house to go to. You can see last year's reindeer food if you click here.

Kaleb (behind the tree), Navia and Emma running as fast as they can with their reindeer food - it was kinda cold!!!

Each Christmas Eve we open up one present and the kids have kinda caught on that it will be new pj's. This year even Daddy got new pj's as a Christmas Eve present!

On Christmas morning the kids wake up to their stocking in their rooms and play with whatever Santa has left for them and then we go downstairs and read the Christmas story before any gifts are open. I usually make a big breakfast but this year because Braden and I had been up until around 4:30am working on Navia's doll house I kinda skimped and just did an Amish Casserole (which was yummy). So we started opening gifts, took a break when the timer rang and ate breakfast, and then went back to finish opening gifts.

Daddy reading the Christmas Story to a snuggled in Kaleb

Navia with another part of a Zhu Zhu tunnel from Robyn (she got the first part for her birthday)

Navia with DSi case from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

Navia with Barbie House from Mom and Dad.

Braden's been working on it for hours upon hours and losing a lot of sleep getting it down. It was hard giving it to her unfinished, but it just couldn't get done in time. When it's done we'll post more detailed pics.

Navia with her Club Penguin DS game from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

The kids loved their headphones - aren't they adorable in them!!!

The kids with their Wii game from Uncle Duff, Auntie Rhonda, Sol, Thad, Eli & Ezra

The kids each with a Beyblade from Auntie Jenna - boy were they excited when they saw that they could battle each other and then open a Battle Arena from Great Gramma McGifford

Kaleb and his Zhu Zhu Armor from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

Kaleb with Sens Tent from Jaycee

Kaleb set up his tent in his bedroom and has been sleeping in it - so cute!

Kaleb and the Color Wonder Dome from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

Kaleb's first design on his Dome - he loves that his 3D image glows in the dark and even spins around!

Kaleb and the newest Donkey Kong game from Grampa Bailey - he's loving how good he is at it and already on level three!

Kaleb's been asking for a camera for a while now so he's pretty excited

Kaleb with Bendaroos from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

Kaleb and Navia were pretty excited to see that they got actual money from Uncle Garrett, Auntie Laurel and Uncle Jesse!

Emma trying out her new video camera that will even record underwater - summer's gonna be interesting this year!!!

And she can spy on the neighbors with her new telescope (and microscope) from Grampa Bailey! We're in trouble!!!

And thanks to Gramma and Grampa McGifford we're hearing the "wonderful" sounds of tumbling rocks . . . which Emma can't wait to see what they end up looking like!

Emma's been in a medieval reading stage and has been wanting characters to play with so was excited to see that she got a Forest Dragon from Uncle Garrett, Auntie Laurel & Uncle Jesse

and a Water Dragon from Gramma and Grampa McGifford

Great Gramma McGifford also got our family a few more family games (the kids love playing games as a family) and a year's membership to the Museum of Civilization and the War Museum, so I'm sure that this week we'll end up heading there for a day.

After opening gifts we just spend the day at home hanging out - we had a turkey dinner (just for Emma) with sweet potato casserole (for Kaleb), and peaches 'n' cream corn (for Daddy). The only thing we kinda forgot was to make the apple pie - oops! We'll have to catch that one for next year.

Emma and Navia making sugar cookies from the dough that Kaleb made

From Great Gramma McGifford - The family playing 'Sorry' for the first time - I remember playing this at my Gramma and Grampa McGifford's house and it's cool seeing how our family loves the game too!

Daddy and Kaleb painting a model from Kaleb's stocking

Navia looked so grown up playing on her DSi from Grampa Bailey with her headphone on - she's only 5 but is looking to grow up faster than we want!

On the 27th we went to a friend's house for lunch and the kids were so excited that the husband had given the wife a new puppy for Christmas, Wayne Gretzky. He's going to be trained as a hunting dog - but until then the kids will just cuddle him like crazy!!!

Wayne Gretzky the puppy

Navia with the puppy

Kaleb loving the puppy kisses - ewww :)

Emma proud that he was falling asleep on her!

Daddy and Kaleb watching Hockey together

Braden has the week between Christmas and New Year's off too so we'll be able to just hang out at home and do whatever we want . . . which will include finishing Navia's barbie house off and making a rink in the backyard. Hmm . . . sounds like Daddy's not going to be able to do that much relaxing!!!

Portable North Pole - PNP

Portable North Pole - This is the second year that we've done this, but it is a great way to start off the week before Christmas. Even though our kids know that Santa isn't real they like pretending that he is and still can't figure this out. You can customize the video of Santa so that he says your child's name, pictures of them for his magic book, even what they've been working on during the year. Oh - and they have adult ones too so maybe you can hint to your husband what you'd really like this year as he's probably forgotten by now (even if you just told him yesterday - sorry b!)

It just takes a few minutes to set it up and then it gets emailed to you and you can tell your kids that Santa emailed you. Click here if you want to see more.

Christmas Traditions . . .

Every year we decorate a Gingerbread house and this year we added a tree to the mix. The kids had a blast except we had a small problem . . . the first of it's kinda ever . . . can you spot it???

Emma and Navia decorating the house together

Here it goes . . .

"Okay, hurray, let me take a picture of you guys before it . . . oh no. . . "

Not willing to give up so quickly

Ta-da!!! I guess hard work does pay off!!!

And what was Kaleb doing during this entire house episode . . .

Patiently decorating his tree while singing and whistling Christmas carols . . . he is one of a kind!!!

That night Emma decided to help Navia with her reading and writing, which Daddy just had to grab a picture of. Kaleb and Emma have been taking turns reading to her and helping her with her letter recognition - just because they want to. Doesn't that make your heart smile?!?

For teacher and neighbor gifts I decided instead of buying something I would make something, and it was actually really easy and they turned out great! I made Cinnamon Honey Butter (yummy!!!), Cinnamon Loaf (thanks Coralie for the recipe!) and Gingersnaps. I also made Pecan Rolo Pretzels after receiving them as a gift from a student and wow - are they delicious (and I don't like pecans or pretzels!)

I can't take the credit for the ideas though. I found the Cinnamon Honey Butter recipe on this great blog, Tidy Mom, that I've just found.

Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

yields 3 half pint jars

Ingredients:

1 cup Honey

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

3 half pint canning jars

• Combine all ingredients in bowl. Using whisk attachment on mixer blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

• Use rubber spatula to pour mixture in to a large pastry bag (or Ziploc®bag), cut off tip and squeeze into half pint jars. (tip: place bag in tall glass for support, or have someone hold the bag while you pour)
• Keep refrigerated. Serve room temperature.

Coralie gave me a super easy recipe for the Cinnamon Loaf and I made them into little tiny (and oh so cute) loaves to give with the butter. In case you're interested in the recipe it is:

Cinnamon Loaf Recipe

yields 1 regular loaf

Loaf:

2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 c. sour milk

1/4 c. cooking oil

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Topping:

2 Tbsp. white sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp. softened margarine

In a large bowl combine the top 10 ingredients and beat for approx. 3 minutes. Pour into a grease loaf pan and smooth the surface.

Combine the 3 ingredients for the topping, making it crumbly and sprinkle on top of the loaf batter in the pan. Cut in with a knife to slightly mix the topping into the loaf, giving it a marbled effect.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350C. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before removing and ta-da . . . yum, yum!

The cookie recipe is the best ginger molasses cookies I've ever tasted! (and Kaleb can't get enough so I have to hide them as he's sneaking them like crazy!!!) I found it on a food blog created by a 17 year old girl - I wasn't that great of a cook then, but she's pretty good. Her blog is call 17 and Baking and her recipe is the following:

Perfect Gingersnaps

yield: 5 dozen 2″ cookies

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
Sugar for rolling (I like evaporated cane juice or raw sugar)

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. In another bowl, combine together the brown sugar, molasses, canola oil, and egg until smooth. Mix the flour mixture into the brown mixture, stirring until dough comes together. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop up bits of dough by the heaping teaspoonful and roll into balls between your palms, about the size of a quarter. Roll the balls in sugar and place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake 8 minutes – if you like crispy gingersnaps, try 9-10 minutes.

Cookies will be very soft but will firm up. Leave on the baking sheet several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

The pecan rolo pretzel recipe is super fast and easy to make - and tastes oh so good . . . dare you to just eat one!!!

Pecan Rolo Pretzels
50 pieces rollo candies50 small pretzels (squares or twists)50 pieces whole or halved pecans

• Place pretzels on baking sheet
• Top with one rollo candy
• Place in a warm (250 degrees) oven to just let the Rollo candy melt on top of the pretzel (about 3 - 4 minutes)
• Remove from oven and place a pecan piece on top
• Let cool and harden (takes longer than you think - and try not to eat one while you're waiting!)

Bet you never thought that I'd be giving you recipes here?!? I think I'm growing up!!!

School Christmas Celebrations

The last week of school always is full of class Christmas presentations for very grade.

Emma - Grade 4

We started with Emma's Grade 4/ Grade 5 Christmas potluck, which was intentionally a cultural selection - - - and very, very yummy!!! Emma requested sweet potato casserole as her traditional Christmas dish and it was a hit, which she was very proud of! Her class played "Jingle Bells" with their recorders and then did a Christmas Carol picture game, which she and her friend won (with help from a certain mom . . . ahem)

Emma did pastels to create this gorgeous Nutcracker

Navia - Junior Kindergarten

On Monday Navia's Junior Kindergarten/ Senior Kindergarten class had fun doing their very first presentation ever! They sang 2 Christmas songs in French, twice each, then Jingle Bells, a finger play about "5 Gingerbread Men" and then finished with a song "Father Christmas" in which they did a little dance. It was soooo cute watching them!!! Oh, and she requested that I bring ginger molasses cookies, which of course I made for her.

Navia is in the white with the jean skirt

Kaleb - Grade 2

Today we ended with Kaleb's Grade 2/ Grade 3 class which created their own presentation - from the welcome to the little skits in between their song choices. It was really enjoyable to watch and they were so proud of what they were doing! Kaleb was in the first skit and his teacher said that she loves how he's not scared of talking in front of others and knew if he started the presentation off the other kids would follow his lead. Pretty cool to hear about our little boy! Kaleb also requested that I make chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles for the presentation, as he teacher love chocolate. He was so happy telling the kids that HE brought the cupcakes they were eating.

"On the 7th of day of holidays of holidays my parents told me to scoop the dog's poop" . . . yep, that's the line that Kaleb had! It was a really cute song and it ended . . . "On the 12th day of holidays we told our parents we want to go back to school and do homework everyday instead of chores!"