Koehler Family: Is it over already?

And, the stockings were hung by the chimney with care... I had to purchase new stockings this year since we had a really cute and sweet new addition to our family earlier this year! Since I decided to change my Christmas "color motiff" this year, I went with a simple quilted ivory stocking. However, I did not order in time to have these monogrammed before company started coming over for festivities. So, I decided to try something and I just loved the way it turned out. Cameron painted styrofoam letters (from Michaels) for me in a sage green and then I took chocolate brown ribbon and hung the letter from each boy's stocking. I LOVE the way it turned out and now I do not think I will monogram the stockings at all!

The rest of the holiday baking. White chocolate covered Oreos decorated to look like ornaments. This was the first time I had tried this, but it turned out pretty cute. I put them in a box with a window on top to look like ornaments inside. If I do it again next year, I will use different sprinkle decorations!

Isn't it funny how we spend sooo much time preparing for the Christmas holiday and then, in the blink of an eye, it seems like it is gone? At least that is how I feel most years lately. I don't remember feeling that way before children, but I do now!

So, here's a little Christmas re-cap from the Koehler household...

Christmas Eve the boys opened one gift, which we have never done before. I decided to let them open their new Christmas pj's. Usually, I just buy them and give them to them early. But, this year I htought it might be fun to actually open them together Christmas Eve. They were actually very excited about them! Thankfully, they are all still at the age where new jammies excite them! I love that! Then, we had to write out Christmas letters to Santa (wish I had taken a photo of those because they were so cute!), put the letters at the fireplace and prepare Santa's cookies and milk. Everything has to be "just right" or Cameron is not happy!

Christmas morning.... About three years ago Doug and I started this "thing" with Cameron and he LOVES it and does not forget about it! Since the boys' rooms are upstairs and our master is downstairs, there is no way for the boys to come running into our room without seeing all the presents Santa brought! I do not like for them to see the presents unless I am there to see their faces when they do! That is, to me, a priceless moment to see the expression on little one's faces when they see what Santa has brought under the tree for the very first time! Priceless! So, anyway, Doug and I had to "devise" a way for Cameron to alert us that he was awake and ready to come downstairs without actually doing so. We realized he could intercom us using our telephone. So, it started - the annual "ringing" on Christmas morning. He intercoms us, we tell him 5 more minutes about four times, we finally get up, throw clothes on, get the camera ready, and then let them come down! It is actually really cute!

After presents I always do a Christmas morning breakfast. In the years past it has been our "thing" to do Christmas tree french toast. I make french toast, cut it into triangles, stack it to look like a Christmas tree, sprinkle with green sugar, put a link sausage for the bottom and use confetti sprinkles for the "ornaments." However, this year we had that for Christmas Eve brunch. So, this year I did snowman pancakes Christmas morning. The boys absolutely loved it! They said they wanted it next year too. Doug made different size pancakes and we made them into snowmen, then took Redi-whip and made "snow" along the bottom of the plate and snowflakes around, then choco chips for eyes, nose and buttons, and red icing for a mouth! Very cute!

The rest of our Christmas day involved cleaning up wrapping paper, playing and putting together new toys, going outside to ride the new toys, and then a special Christmas dinner with my dad. After the little boys were in bed, Cameron enjoyed playing his new Scrabble (Thanks Uncle Jay!) and Sorry games with us and Granddaddy. That made the whole day complete!