A Holly Jolly Christmas Parties

The kids had a Christmas fun-filled weekend

(one of the down-sides of working shift work is that weekends are very valuable and usually jam-packed - especially when I worked 3 out of the 4 weekends before Christmas)

 

Saturday was following Bartley tradition by putting up the Bartley-family Christmas tree. For as long as I can remember the first Sunday of December was always set aside for Bartley Christmas. It was at my grandmothers and after she passed away it naturally transitioned to my parents.

 

The kids got into putting decorations on the Christmas tree - for about 5 minutes.
Just enough time for a photo-op.

And they thought the village I set up (another tradition) was put out just for them!

The next day we had another family tradition - the annual Ridding brunch.
Which thankfully was scheduled on the right weekend.
The family is huge! With 5 new babies born this year it is only getting bigger - so a hall was rented this year!

The kids thought it was great!

 

What do kids love to do?

Run around SUPERFAST!

And now they had the room to do it!

 

Nickolas spent almost 2 straight hours on his feet!
This was waaay more than just showing off

This was keeping up, having stamina and playing at the same level!

Some words I never would have thought I'd say a couple of years ago...
"Nickolas! don't run over your cousin!"

Katheryn wanted me to find a limbo stick!

 

And we had some froggy games

 

Some crafts... (Trying to stay in the lines)

 

And Katheryn found that the floor was nice a slippery which is perfect for sliding!

She kept wanting me to take her picture sliding

 

Since the kids were dressed up super-cute (I just LOVE that tie) and there was a Christmas tree, I thought I'd try for a cute kid picture (even though I already have my Christmas-tree pictures)

 By the end of the weekend Nick was so tuckered out, he needed help holding his head up to play his leap-pad games

Card exchange

Christmas is a time of year to be thankful and be around family and people you care about.

But I have some family and some people in my community that I have never even met!

 

So, an extremely smart and creative woman I know decided to do something about that!

With a Christmas card exchange!

 

Cassie collected 72 names and addresses and divided up all the names to make everything fair.

 

So I got my writing hand all ready and warmed up, and I thought about what I wanted to say.

And just wrote...

 

and wrote...
and wrote...

Then I had to go out and buy a bunch of American stamps! (And some Canadian ones)
I think I ended up with 37 cards I mailed out all together!

Now I just have to sit back and wait for our own cards to come!
(And maybe give my writing hand a break for a while)

Santa Baby

Writing, writing, writing!

After we visited Santa Katheryn wanted to write a letter to tell him what she wanted.

Her lists wasn't very long (she only says she wants one thing).
So we worked on an actual letter and not a wish list

 

She was so proud of her first ever letter!

 



 

She wrote every single word (no spaces), and just asked us about spelling (and sounding it out).

 

I think Katheryn tried to soften him up a little bit first (Santa-dear)

Santa Dear. My name is Katheryn. I like Tinkerbell for Christmas please.
I have been good all year.
From Katheryn.

Her letter (after I scanned it to save it forever) is already in the mail for Santa.

Santa Claus is coming to Town

All dressed up, and we need to see a man with a reindeer!

 

The kids distracted themselves in the line up.

 

And there was a play area with colouring and movies

Or played with the Leap Pad (which goes everywhere with us!)

And got a family picture with the big man!

Katheryn was very excited - but still told us she wanted to sit on Daddy's knee - not Santa. Nickolas took one look at him and grabbed me. But no tears or crying.
Katheryn even talked to Santa and told her what she wanted for Christmas!

Trimming the tree

We got our Christmas tree super-early. But that meant that we could take our time getting it all trimmed!

 

Katheryn, as the electrician daughter (and grand-daughter) wanted to help with the lights!

And Katheryn was fascinated when we found our reindeer light glasses!

OK, maybe mommy was fascinated too!

 

Of the good things about having the tree up early is to get those pictures done!
I was very excited!

The kids, not so much!

But they eventually got into it (it's blurry because Nick is trying to push Katheryn in the chair)

Someone might be getting a little loud in his excitement!

After a bit of begging (please! just look at the camera and smile and I won't take any more pictures!)

I got 2 that I was happy with (the above one didn't really count because it was on my phone.)

OK Christmas season can officially start now!