Ho Ho Holidays....

As usual, we had multiple Christmas celebrations this year, with one still to go.  Unfortunately, my photos aren't quite up to snuff this year.  Any guesses on what's got me preoccupied? 

Chrismas PJs!

 Our first celebration was with the Braunschweiger clan, my favorite of the Christmases, in part due to the Maultaschen supper!  It's a casual, appetizers and a self serve dinner and dessert spread.   We opted to leave the babies home with Julia, which allowed Adam & I to actually enjoy ourselves a bit.  Uncle Brian got the boys Hess helicopters and TG got them cars -- boy heaven!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My cousin just got engaged and his fiancee, who knew I'm a pretty good photographer, asked me to take some engagement photos of them.  (My second photoshoot "job" -- I come cheap if anyone else is interested!) My mom, who taught me everything I know, came out to be my assistant (she's great at catching things like a crooked collar or something funny in the background).  Mom decided we should take a photo with a wreath as a backdrop -- I love this outtake! 

 

 

I still need to crop out her red coat a bit - great photo!

When we got home, Adam got to work assembling this year's Santa gift.  Not as much as work as the kitchen last year, but it still a lot of parts! 

 

On Christmas Eve, Ken, Lee Ann, & Tammy came over.  It was SO nice celebrating Christmas Eve this year at home.  At 7:30pm, in between dinner & dessert, I was able to tuck the babies away, at their normal bedtime, and easily rejoin the group.  Oliver got a toolbelt and a personalized overnight bag to take on weekend visit to Grandma & Pop-pops.  My favorite part of the night was to see how absolutely delighted Oliver was to have his Pop-pop playing with him. 

 

 

On Christmas morning, we enjoyed presents from Santa and one another.  Oliver was so in love with his firehouse that Santa had brought (already assembled, how convenient!) that he didn't want to open up any of his other presents.  Good thing we didn't have all that much for him, or the babies for that matter (hey - they didn't know/care!).   


Firehouse from Santa

"Slide for cars" from Santa

Before present opening

During (the exersaucer/swing are also in the shot - it actually wasn't very crazy/messy)

Present from Jana!

My mom & sister (no Devon this time), came down on Christmas day and stayed over.  Adam had made delicious Rouladen and my mom made spätzle, yum, yum.... The next day, we went into town and did some returns and then went out to lunch with Oliver.
 

 

Finally, Papa & Margit came down on Saturday.  Oliver could barely believe that he got to open up still more presents!