Picture Post on This Late Epiphany Evening

So here's our story, picture-wise, of our Christmas celebrations. 2017. 

It started with our Christmas Eve dinner (we usually have fish in some form. Found this dairy-free salmon chowder. Yum success!)

We've read many good books this Advent; here are two. 

Then we rush around madly to get into our Christmas dress-up attire for Mass at Saint Joseph's.  Mom
always wants a picture. I mean a mom goes to all this work, it must be recorded somehow. ;)  We need
a photographer though; the selfie thing doesn't work so well. 

Well, you know by now that I am a sucker for aesthetic appeal for our holiday celebrations. It makes me happy to be creative
with our decorations. So I stay up much too late decorating our holiday table and illustrating the chalkboards (three! my favorite one I forgot to take a picture of)

And honestly, I think the family loves it too. That makes it even more worth it! It's fun to dazzle them. 

In keeping with our around the world theme from Advent, we included British crackers to open at breakfast. The surprises inside were moustaches. Very fun! 

Doug has been thrilled with his new book. 

Tired, but happy. 

His very own sled. 

Nutmeg has discovered Calico Critters. 

Trying out the new sled. 

Mace and I built some huge snowparents before the rain started. 

Nutmeg is now independent on skies. Yay!

The day after Christmas we headed down to Chicago to spend time with family. Yay for cousins!!

We headed over to the area where Doug grew up: Long Grove. We kept up our yearly tradition of choosing a family ornament
together and then we checked out the old candy shop where Doug used to go. The owner of 36 years was working that day. Great times!

Mace brought home a skill he learned from the cousins in Chicago. 

When we got home, my family from Minnesota drover over for a couple days. Doug took the kids skiing. 

We went on a little hike to burn off some of those holiday calories. ;)

New Year's Eve games. Face the cookie. Get the cookie in your mouth using only your facial muscles. 

More silly fun. 

And more. 

After they left, we headed over to Chula Vista for some waterpark fun for the boys' birthday. Happy 11th birthday guys!!