It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Confession: I went a little overboard for Christmas. Mea culpa. Guilty as charged. In my defense, this house is SO fun to decorate!!! Brent and I agreed all the new trimmings would be my Christmas present, which I was thrilled about; Accountant Brent, maybe less so. As you see what I did, remember the very generous and sweet husband who went along with all of it, in spite of cost.

This is the Nativity my parents bought in Jerusalem made out of olive wood. For years I have wanted one but couldn't find a version I liked. Nothing seemed quite right. I love the natural swirl of the wood. I love that the faces are blank so I can imagine what each person looked like. I love the animals and especially that camel (thrown in for free!). Because they flew back through O'Hare, I got to see Mom and Dad unpack their suitcases and show me all the beautiful things they bought for us kids. Admittedly, I felt rather guilty when I saw how much space this took up. However, we are going to cherish it for a lifetime, and hopefully even longer! Seeing the girls arrange and re-arrange the figurines made me smile. I did the same when I was a little girl. 

 I've been wanting garland for our banister pretty much since the moment we moved in. The light in the foyer chandelier is pretty bright, but the light in the upstairs hall doesn't help much as you climb the stone staircase. With little ones around, we never know if a random shoe or toy has been left on a step and well, it's a long fall down. The soft lights on the garland gently illuminated the stairs all Christmas season. I love them!

 Winter in the midwest can be so long and dreary, I really wanted to put some greenery inside so I ordered the boxwood wreath. I loved it so much, I considered leaving it up year round! I do wish it was a tad bigger because that is one huge mirror above the fireplace, but it was still very pretty. Let's take a look at what's inside that frame...

 This was my gift to Katrina and Family because the writing is in Portuguese. Ever since I saw it on Design Mom years ago, I've been Jonesing for it and well, it was just too easy to select 2 instead of 1 at checkout. This paper is heat-stamped so when you shine a light behind it, the image comes through. I toyed with the idea of somehow hanging it in a window so we could look at it all day. However, I discovered the battery operated candles with timers at World Market. Around dusk they would turn on and it just gave the family room that extra sense of hygge- as the Danes say-.

 I realize I'm making every tiny decision sound like it was monumental, but I truly wanted to decorate with an eye for things that would forever set the tone in our home during Christmas. So on to the tree topper! Since we've been married, Brent and I have never had a tree topper and it always bothered me. Every Christmas I would scout the stores, and so many of them were one dimensional, which I didn't like. In my home, we grew up with an angel tree topper; in Brent's, they had a star. Angel or star? After a bit of hunting, I found this beauty. It's an angel holding a star and I just love it. Simple. Perfect. Yes yes, I love this one too.

 We received a huge number of Target gift cards as wedding gifts so we parlayed them into Christmas lights. Last year, those lights truly died and this was the year to replace them. Although I think white lights look classy and stunning, we are a household full of kids. I felt our Christmas tree should reflect that, and I wanted colored lights... but not just any colored lights! They had to be flame-tipped, with purple. Purple is such a royal color and that's what the season is all about- the birth of the Savior. Colored lights without the purple just look staid to me. On an unrelated trip to Home Depot, I came across flame-tipped colored lights which included purple.

At the time I bought way more than I thought we'd need. Turns out we needed some more. And then some more. Eventually I had to change Home Depot's because I'd bought them out. I wanted every branch to be draped in lights. In the end, it was 15 boxes of lights. One evening as we headed out, Brent commented that it looked like the tree was made completely out of lights. It truly shimmered in the window!

 Okay, okay we're almost there. I told you I went a little nuts! We don't do outside lights but we have a wreath made of silver bells which jingles cheerfully anytime we open the front door. When I came across some silver bells at Hobby Lobby, I knew they needed to adorn our garage sconces. I thought the red ribbons would really stand out, but from the street they were a little on the small side. Hmmm, next year I may have to upgrade those...

 Even so, they gave the house a little holiday cheer.

Sadly, I didn't take a picture or video of our little yellow caboose. As we unpacked the train for the tree, Mom and Dad volunteered to take the caboose so they could put on metal wheels and wire the inside and outside lights. When they brought it back and we tried it out for the first time, I clapped and squealed with delight. The back lights are red and they blink, just like a real caboose! It's much easier to see the beautiful detail on the interior now and it's perfect because the engine also lights up. Mom also bought us some sticky tack so we can put the seated figurines on the passenger car and they won't slide around as the train takes a corner. Someday I'd like to get a tender, and an oil tanker. Again, maybe next year...

For the most part, it was a really moderate December. We did get a snow that was simply breathtaking. The big, fat flakes stuck to everything but the roads, and perched on the branches of trees precariously. Our neighborhood looked like a winter wonderland and I just about went into raptures over it! I'm so glad we live in a place with all four seasons! This decoration was not my doing, it was Mother Nature, and she really does it best.

Okay, this was supposed to be a post about our Christmas day as a family, and now it's so long, listing just the new decorations, I will have to leave the big day for another post. Suffice it to say, the additions to our Christmas decorations really made the season for me this year! It was the best Christmas gift I've ever received/given myself. Thanks Brent!

Goodbye Downton Abbey

Christmas evening was spent with a can of Pringles, salted caramel chocolates, and the final episode of Downton Abbey. As deliciously plummy as that farewell was, I came across this short which had me laughing out loud- especially the Gordon Ramsey part. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

Actually, before we get to Christmas, let's talk Christmas Eve. After a wonderful devotional at the church, and driving around to see the lights, we finally wrestled the girls into bed and pulled out all the gifts. Fortunately, they were all wrapped, and it didn't take long to artfully arrange them. There was however, the small detail of putting together the boat BJ and Jeanne had gifted the girls. 

Yeah... some assembly (and sanity) required. We got through it though. While we stuffed the stockings by the fireplace, we watched Better Off Dead. Initally Brent didn't feel that it was a Christmas movie, but watching the parents wear their aardvark and deer coats, he relented that it really was. "Everyone's going to be wearing this!" Love that movie!

As the girls woke up, they gathered on our bed. Brent made his way downstairs and prepped breakfast. When it was time, he rang the bell signaling to the girls they could finally come downstairs...

...and have their picture taken. Nothing else was going to happen until I had perfect smiles. Once that was done, they could peak into the living room at the spoils.

On to the kitchen where again, they could just peak at their stockings in the family room. I have to say, as an adult making everything drag out is a lot more fun than when you are a kid!

Liesel ate her breakfast burrito faster than I've ever seen before. Her sisters soon followed suit, aside from Sydney who didn't quite grasp the rush.

No one was allowed to get into their stocking until everyone was finished. So they waited... and waited... and waited for the littlest sister.

Finally it was time! They dug their little hands into their stockings finding treasure after treasure- gleefully expressing their surprise and happiness. The biggest hit? Shopkins.

Could Gita look anymore triumphant raising that little package so high above her head?

 With stockings emptied, it was on to the gifts under the Christmas tree in the living room. For the first time, the girls were able to see everything under the tree:

Ireland has asked for a dollhouse two years in a row and I was able to find a way to make it work. It's not fully decorated, so like our real home, it will take some time to paint it and fill it so it's perfectly homey. Ireland didn't seem to mind. In fact, it was her "dream". Watching that video makes me smile every time.

Meanwhile, Gita was enchanted with the pirate ship that was hers to command (and to color).

Liesel and Ireland received wireless headphones for the Pilot so now all the girls have a pair (and Mom has more peace and quiet while driving!).

I'd taken each of the girls to the dollar store to pick out gifts for each other. The highlight of the day for me personally was seeing them so excited to give those away and to thank each other.

Another sister gift. Another moment of selflessness on a day of indulgence. Love it.

This superhero cape made and given by Whitney fit Brigitta's personality to a T.

Remember when Katrina visited and she won over Sydney with the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies? Grandma Nielsen got a package just for her, which she immediately began to devour. She had a death grip on that package.

Gita finally received her piggy bank (usually our 3-year-old gift, but backordered for a long, long, long time).

We are particularly grateful for the hats and mittens which are desperately needed out here in Chi-beria!

Then there were the annual Pringles. Christmas=Pringles. Another highlight of the day was getting all the Pringle pictures from the Nielsen families around the country.

As with last year, we bought a new movie (courtesy of BJ and Jeanne this year!). While the girls settled in to watch Inside Out, Brent and I put the house back into order. For the rest of the day, we talked with family, ate Christmas candy and hung out in our pajamas. It was marvelous. These magical Christmases with tiny tots are numbered, and I'm glad we soaked this one up.

Work Holiday Party

Since I spend most of my days in yoga pants and a hastily thrown up bun, I wanted to look good when we finally stepped out for a holiday party. I took advantage of my VIB Rouge status at Sephora and had my makeup done. I had showered, but let my hair down to dry naturally while she worked and then I was approached by another associate asking if she could do my hair. 

Never in my life have I had my makeup and hair done simultaneously! I felt so fancy, and as people walked in the store, they watched these women work on me. Oh it was fantastic! I'll probably never be able to afford the curling wand that woman used. She said when she saw me take out my hair, she knew she wanted to use it on me. I was happy to oblige.

The holiday party was such a success last year, they booked the same place this year. It was held at a place called The Bedford which is a reclaimed landmark bank. See the deposit boxes behind us? See the non-alcoholic drinks in front of us? Canadian sunrise for me, ginger ale for Brent.

Our favorite place to hang out is inside the vault. They still have the original door which is just crazy cool to look at. 

It's really intimate inside with candles and banquette seating.

It might sound strange, but Brent and I become somewhat anti-social at these things. We mingle for a while and then retreat to just hang out and snuggle in a corner. No kids, no pressing responsibilities, just beautiful ambiance and delicious food.

I don't know if it was the loud music, or something just didn't sit quite right, but near the end of the evening I wasn't feeling so well. It just so happens the car service sent a huge SUV for the ride home and I was able to recline the seat and just sleep.

We really don't go out all that often, but it's really nice when we do. I'm grateful for Brent's job and that he works for a company that does things like this. We look forward to it every year!

Visiting Santa

Apparently while I was curling Brigitta's pigtails, Liesel and Ireland took advantage of my camera phone. I discovered these after the fact.

Their poses crack me up! Where do they get this stuff anyway? We've been to many Santa's in many different malls and decided to gamble on the one in downtown Crystal Lake. This was the best Santa we've seen, BY FAR!!!

First of all, there wasn't any crappy, expensive photographer camped out at the best angle who insisted you had to buy their photo. Parents took their own photos... the way it should be.

Secondly, this Santa was so incredibly gentle. He spoke softly to the girls. He asked them if they had been good this year and patiently listened while they told him their wishlist. He was friendly and kind, not tired and irritated. He had all the time in the world for each and every child.

Thirdly, I love that he took them one by one which is what the Savior was known to do. It wasn't hurried, or rushed, and each girl had time for a special moment.

We thought this might be the year when we finally didn't have one of the girls crying but at the last minute, Sydney decided she wanted to quit this job. Sorry Santa, maybe next year... because we definitely will be back!

Family Photo Shoot

Someday Reagan is going to get tired of me unabashedly taking advantage of her for her photography skills. Until then, I'm determined to exploit her. Some of my favorites from this recent session:

I love that this is on our front porch. I love the matching leather jackets and of course the Converse!

Oh the Converse!

I've come to like photos with varied expression because I find it's more true to life than frozen smiles.

Just us.

Great picture of Brent, although he thinks he looks high.

Not to be narcissistic, but I fell in love with this photo. Brent was off camera doing a sexy dance to make me smile. The wind blew my hair over my neck, covering my freckles and moles I'm self-conscious about. I'm clearly smiling but not enough to show my crow's feet. The contouring, eyebrow and eyeliner were perfectly on point. I wish I looked like this all the time but at the very least, I'm glad Reagan captured the fact I briefly looked like this that one time!

In the rush to get to this location, we forgot to change Sydney out of her black leather jacket and into her green swing coat. Reagan fixed that up no problem.

I love how Ireland is looking back! It's SO her. 

I fell in love with this location but it was freakishly windy and cold. We didn't spend much time there and the girls were pretty miserable.

Sydney was just shaking she was so frozen! I'm proud of the other girls for smiling in spite of the weather.

I was tempted to make this one our Christmas card but there was another that was THE ONE.

That time when a reindeer photo bombed us...

 Reagan also captured some fantastic individuals of the girls but I will have to add those when she gets a chance to edit them. The poor girl is working for free, the least I can do is have a little patience!

Thanks Reagan! We had so much fun with you behind the camera!