We had a wonderful 2013 Christmas Holiday Season!! It seemed the Christmas snuck up on me this year, more so then other years, even though I was done shopping for most earlier then years prior!? I just feel like it's came and went so quick this year!?!! Here is our holiday in a nut shell....
We hosted Thanksgiving--all 13 of us were here at the Duplex! It was a great day! We had way to much to eat, played Tripoly and Texas Hold-Em Pocker(thanks Toddy) and of course rapped up our day with Christmas Vacation! Each year we add something to our 'Griswald Tradition' and Josh had posted in our fb family group that the show was release in 1989...so we found pictures of what we looked like in 1989--pretty funny :)
After the movie, us gals(Anna included this year!!) grabbed our purses and adds and headed out for some black Friday(or as they called it Gray Thursday this year) shopping! We left the house around 8 and were home by 11--but had fun and got in on some great deals! Anna loved it and was so excited to be part of the big girls tradition this year!!
The other different thing I did this year was not being only the shopper on Black Friday...but a retail worker as well! I worked at Bath and Body works from 12-7 on Black Friday stocking shelves! It was a fun experience and would definatly consider doing it again :) Josh took the kids to Uncle Johns house the day after Thanksgiving and the kids were able to play with cousins and got to hang out with more family for the day!
CHRISTMAS!!!!! I love Christmas :) This year, I wanted to teach our kids, that not everyone who asks Santa for what they would like, gets it. So we volunteered to ring the Salvation Army bell for a couple hours down at the mall on Saturday before Christmas. It was a great experience and a tradition I hope to continue with them every year. Both Addy and Zach lasted an hour and Anna was a trooper and did the full 2 hours with me. We finished up shopping after--both last year and this year, we had the kids buy a little something for each other. It's so neat to hear the thought they put into their gifts and how excited they were to wrap and watch each other open their gifts :)
We hosted both Christmas Eve and Day this year--it was great! Christmas Eve we decided to all bring in small apps for supper, it was nice not to have the dinner dishes ;) We still ate way too much after church--which is another funny story! The service stated it started at 5, but we didn't know they sang carols the 1/2 hour before...so needless to say when we walked in at 4:45...there was zero seeting! So our family of 13 sat in the 'overflow' area and had it all to ourselves....awkward-yes, but we made the very best of it :)
Christmas Day brought excited kids!!! They must have been good last year as they were very spoiled this Christmas :) It was great to be in our own home again on Christmas morning and watch the kids light up with excitement when they opened their gifts! We made Santa pancakes after with bacon and eggs :) The rest of the family came over around noon and we had lasagna and garlic toast for family lunch. We had a white elephant gift exchange/game that afternoon as well as playing a funny game where they had to try and draw a Christmas scene on a paper plate...on top of their head :) We laughed and laughed!!!
Christmas with Josh's mom and family was the weekend after Christmas! We got out of town a little early on Friday and headed up to Power's Lake--we had supper and opened gifts that night. The kids got even more spoiled :) We had lutefisk, lefse, and many many laughs!! Josh, Jason, and Leon were DETERMINED to teach me how to play pinchole....I think finally by Sunday I kind of understood it!?! Our kids were lucky enough to get to spend a couple extra days with Grandma RuthAnn and Papa when we went back home on Sunday. They had cousins over and went sledding lots as well as celebrated the New Year...well, a couple of them made it up until midnight anyway!!
Josh and I were fortunate to get to go out for supper with 6 great friends and spent the evening playing games and laughing with more friends. We are so very lucky and blessed to live so close to so many people we love being with! Everyone gets along so well and we all have kids that get along great---what else can you ask for :) Here's to 2014--if it brings as many smiles, laughs, and memories as 2013 did--I can't wait!
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