Christmas in Cedar Rapids

We arrived in Cedar Rapids around 4:00 pm on Christmas Day. We went right over to The Webb Family home to have Christmas dinner and open presents. The food was wonderful, and we managed to polish off a few more of those cookies. Grant always has a great time playing with his cousin, and was happy to spend the whole weekend at his house.

Julia was on these stairs about 85% of the time.

We all had a nice evening of family, food and gifts, and a nice few cold winter days in Iowa.

Christmas Morning

The kids woke up on Christmas morning to find their new handmade stockings (thank you handmade pretties on Etsy) filled with gifts from Santa. They also found a few more gifts under the tree from Mom and Dad. They had a good time digging through their stockings, and finding all the treasures hidden within. The same as on Christmas Eve, Julia just kind of wandered around checking everything out, not really knowing what the heck was going on with all the wrapping paper.
No Christmas morning pictures of Johanna with chocolate all over her face this year. Mom couldn't find the chocolate Santa pops to put in their stockings (Dad found them in the car later that day as he was packing the car for our trip to Iowa). They were a post-Christmas treat (wink).

This Lego's set took Dad about three hours and lots of patience to complete, but he did it!

Johanna played with this frog all night at our friend's house the night before Christmas Eve day. She said she was going to ask Santa for one. Somehow it magically made it's way home with us and, surprise, into her stocking. That Santa is good.....

It did not take Julia long to discover the half-eaten cookies left by Santa (and the thank you note that Santa left). I think that was her favorite part. Johanna helped her finish them off. After breakfast, showers and baths, and packing we were off to Cedar Rapids for Christmas dinner at Cory's brother's house.

Christmas Eve

We had a very nice Christmas Eve at our house. There was no snow, but the weather cooperated and everyone was able to make it out here and back home safe and sound.

We enjoyed everyone's company. We kept the food simple, and non-traditional (I think we'll go with a more traditional dinner next year. There's just something to be said about a nice Christmas dinner). We ate white chicken chili, chicken tortilla soup, and a Reuben braid. We had enough cookies to feed an army! The amazing thing is between all of us, and our various family functions, we were able to eat all those cookies.


The kids (and adults alike) had a fun time opening their presents. Grant LOVED the quilt I made for him (and the Lego's and boxer shorts which said, "got gas?"), Johanna loved her dress-up costumes, and Julia loved pulling her snail pull-toy.

Johanna seemed to really like this Mizzou tiger that Jeff received. She stood there for quite awhile looking at it and "petting" it. It was pretty funny.

Johanna's Doll

This is the doll I had made for Johanna for Christmas. Isn't she cute? I love these Waldorf dolls because they are stuffed with wool, so they warm up when they are held. Johanna has said she wants to name her "Deint-dernt", which was the nickname Grant gave to Johanna when she was a baby. We'll see how long that one sticks.

Gingerbread House

We really enjoyed making this gingerbread house. I think Johanna ate more of the candy than she put on the house. The kids decorated their gingerbread people and ate them right away. We did end up eating some of the gingerbread house. We just couldn't let all that yummy food go to waste!

The Fourth Light of Advent

We lit the fourth and final candle for advent yesterday. It is the light of human kind. King Winter joined the nature table, and the nativity scene is now complete. Where did the month go?

Making Cookies

This is what the kids looked like after we made cookies for our cookie party. I knew powdered sugar was messy, but I didn't know it could be that messy!