So, I’ve shared a few Christmas memories from through the years. Now, here are pics and videos of my Top Ten favorite moments from THIS Christmas season! (Click on the pics if you want to see them bigger.)
1. First, we have a picture of Zach and some friends at our annual gingerbread house decorating party. It’s become a fun tradition that we all look forward to. Donnie says that next year, we’ll have a contest for the best house, to keep the boys decorating a bit longer. Zach’s “tent” was especially minimalist, but the boys were anxious to go play football on the front lawn!
2. A collage of pictures from an insanely crazy photo shoot, trying to capture one of Jonah for the 2011 photo calendars I make every year for the grandmothers and myself. I especially love the one of his big ol’ foot! (Definitely click on this one to see it bigger!)
3. Another collage I made to share on Facebook. Man, I love these boys!
4. The night before Christmas, when the boys got their annual gift of new pajamas before bed. I think they were probably praying that it wouldn’t be pajamas…
But, they were good sports about it when they discovered it was indeed, new PJs!
5. Zach and Eli attack the stack under the tree. I love Eli’s expression. I am the one in fluffy pinkness behind him. That is about all you will see of me first thing Christmas morning!
6. I thought Jonah would really have fun this Christmas, but he was pretty much unimpressed by the whole thing. Just give him a bottle and let him be. He did enjoy the boxes, wrapping paper and bows, though!
And he did enjoy digging stuff out of his stocking…
7. Now the fun part: the videos! The first one is of them unwrapping their most wished-for gifts:
Christmas Morning 2010 from Kari Apted on Vimeo.
And then, we tricked them. We’d wrapped that big box and told them it was there to block Jonah’s access to the tree (and it did work just beautifully for that!). But little did they know it held the gift I’d convinced them they were not getting, the one they wanted most of all: Kinect for the Xbox 360!
Untitled from Kari Apted on Vimeo.
8. Then it was time to get started on Christmas dinner. What is this creature on my stovetop?
Did you have any idea brussels sprouts grew this way? I didn’t til I saw this stalk of them at Trader Joe’s. And then I had to have it. (And they were good, by the way!)
9. Here is something you rarely see in this neck of the woods: icicles at Christmastime! We had a bit of a white Christmas and the snow was so beautiful…while it lasted!
10. And finally, our inflatable Santa the morning after. Pretty much depicts how I felt, too!
To see more Top Ten Tuesday lists, and to make your own, visit Amanda!