I have tried for two nights to get these photos loaded and something is up with the photo loader. I finally have just decided that I'm using the photos that are up and apologizing for the neck stretches you'll have to do reading all of this. Since Christmas almost a month ago, it's time.
A couple weeks before Christmas I had a Favorite Things party. It was so, so fun and I will definitely be doing it again! We ate, drank, exchanged gifts, and chatted and had a blast!
We set up all the Favorite Things so we could see. I shared the glass canisters and others brought books, lotions, socks, travel cups, wine sippies, nail polish, caramel corn, scarves, silicone mats, burp cloths, and jewelry. Everyone got to pick three different things to take home.
The next week was Jackson's Christmas program. He did so well. He cried a little when he had to leave us to go with his class but once he was there, he did so well.
See? He LOVED it!
They sang Must Be Santa and We Wish You A Merry Christmas.
After a long week at school, Mike, Lindsay, Nana, and Papa came for the weekend! Mimi had already been here since the 13th. We had such a fun Christmas weekend planned. We had a great mix of planned activities and chill at home time.
Lindsay and Jackson made ice cream cone Christmas trees.
and Mike and Jackson played the guitar.
We exchanged gifts on Saturday morning and Charley was so please with her Rody until she fell off.
That night we had a sitter and went to dinner and our annual viewing of Let It Be Christmas at our church. It's the nativity story told through Beatles music.
Sunday was our city day. We had brunch at Pomegranate Cafe and then headed downtown. It was so helpful to have several extra pairs of hands in the city!
This one is completely out of order but I had to decorate the basement for my family. I wanted them to feel the spirit in the basement too!
Charley had the craziest hair.
Jackson, Charley an Mimi!
We started a new tradition this year that turned out great! We packed up care bags to take to give to homeless people we saw. Jackson is holding one of our bags before he gave it to a sweet man and said Merry Christmas. The bad thing is that this little activity also taught him how to spot a homeless person from a block away.
We spent some time looking at the Macy's windows
and went to KrisKindle Mart.
Jackson loved this traveling puppet show on the corner.
He especially loved telling jokes with Miss Lindsay all day....and weekend.
We even went to Daddy's office and had fun looking out the windows.
Nana loved the city and experiencing it with Jackson. It helped that he was so well behaved.
When we got home Mike and Lindsay made us a fantastic meal!
Another fun tradition this year was opening a wrapped Christmas book each night. It took a lot of time to wrap 25 books but he LOVED this! Nana read this one to him.
On Monday before everyone left, we made some sugar cookies.
We had a blast visiting with my family. The best part is that it wasn't even Christmas yet!!
Christmas eve was wonderful. We did our usual Chicago Christmas tradition (which has only been twice.) :)
We went to church at 3:00 and then had dinner at Ted's Montana Grill. The Starbucks in Downtown Naperville closed at 6 so we got there just in time for some quick drinks before headed out to see Christmas lights. It was so, so great!!
Christmas morning was fun too! The kids loved their gifts and handled all the excitement really well.
Jackson was beyond thrilled with his new drum set!
Mimi had to get a photo of her with her grandbabies and their matching shirts before she left!
At the end of a fantastic break was our New Year's Eve party. We hosted our small group and had a fondue night and played games.
I was really looking forward to this break and it proved restful! It was even better because with the Polar Vortex that blew through, we got two extra days off!!!
We had a wonderful Christmas and now we're looking forward to Spring Break!
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