Christmas 2015

I better get to writing about this...it is already a week and a half past and my memories are fading!

Our LaMarche immediate family celebrated "Christmas" by opening stockings/presents on Christmas Eve before the groups of family arrived.  The highlight of this year's Christmas was the addition of the "disco ball"-style tree topper on the fake tree that sits on top of the ledge above the front door, and a new light-up-color-changing-tree topper for our real tree on the main level.

Dave and I had taped a long thick piece of wrapping paper across the top of the stairs to "block" the kids from going downstairs before us on Christmas Eve morning.  When we were ready we let them "bust through" and go downstairs to open their stockings.  Treats, candy, donuts, gum, pencils, and erasers were the highlight of the stockings.  We ate breakfast and started in on the main presents.  A slackline, spyphones, legos, Frozen apparel, princesses, helicopters, sparkly things, and pens/pencils were all hits.  I don't remember all the gifts.  The Book with No Pictures was super fun to open the night before.  Bluurrff! Blork!!

Dave and I had the pleasure of hosting the Hardinger crew for Christmas - and it was a nice time!  On Christmas Eve, my family and Rachel met at Orchard Hill Church at 3:00 for a Christmas Eve message, music, and time to remember.  The message was wonderful, and left us with thankful hearts.  The snow had begun to fall and turned everything white, which everyone was thankful for!  Rachel and I made a quick plan to make Italian Wedding Soup and serve it with buttered bread for dinner on Christmas Eve.  Rachel brought over the ingredients and it turned out yummy.

My parents, Rachel, and my family had dinner together.  After getting all the kids settled in for bed (and singing some REALLY LOUD Christmas songs during the Bible lesson), the 4 remaining adults enjoyed some snackies, peppermint-irish cream cocktails, and some razzling games of ping pong!!  We discovered how hard it is to go around the ping pong table bouncing on two feet and playing with our left hands.

Jay arrived with Stella and Theo on Christmas morning (Friday).  Mom heated up the egg bake, dad presented his Christmas bread, and the morning was pretty uneventful.  We all waited for Jay and his kids to arrive before doing any present-giving.  Some kids played outside, I don't quite remember all the details.  Food was all pretty much prepared by my mom - thank you, mom! - creamy delicious potatoes in the crock pot, glazed ham, veggies, and we topped off the meal with banoffee pie (banana + toffee) made by Dave!  Inbetween the morning and evening meals was gift-opening.  Everyone enjoyed their gifts and Stella wanted nothing but My Little Pony things. :)  Purses, shoes, coffee mugs, sweatshirts, toys, vodka, etc...

Stella, Theo and Jay all set up in the girl's room so the girls shared with the boys comfortably and it is a win-win since the girls LOVE moving to share with the boys!  Brought the twin mattress from the top bunk to the floor for Jay.  Stella slept in Vanessa's bed, Theo in a crib in the corner.

After a delicious Christmas dinner, more events happened.  I think guitar music happened for awhile...games were played...snacks were enjoyed...a few cocktails consumed....

Kiddos all got settled and the night got really late.  We played ping pong again for a couple hours and then spent some time together as a family talking a bit about Jay's difficult situation.  It was close to 1:30 am before we all decided to go to bed.  Even Rachel, the Waterloo resident, slept at our house!  Too bad the air mattress deflated on her...she slept on the gymnastics mat in the theater!

Saturday morning...is a blur.  I know Jay stayed the entire day and went to Bethany Bible Chapel with us in the morning.  We had waffles or something, I truly do not remember.  This is a pic of Sat night meal - Rachel came up with a recipe for cheesy ham soup and made it. Delicious!