Okay - here are the details on Christmas as well as I can remember them, for it was nearly a week ago now. This year was wonderfully blessed, as Ben & I (mostly "i") were able to get - PURCHASE - gifts for all of the kids and for extended family. It was SOOO nice, as I LOVE Christmas shopping, and would start tomorrow for 2007 if I could! 
The kids each got one "major" gift from us...so for the record, I suppose I should keep a record! Christian - electronic drum set. I THOUGHT it had an earphone jack, but he says he can't find it. riiight. Gabe - Vidster video camera - it is a hit! Luke, snap circuits science board. EVERYONE loves it! The girls were given a little kitchen playset from target which they love, and Victoria actually spotted in the store on December 23rd, saying "That is neat!". Here is ben working on assembly. The girls are in their "chinese" jammies and chef hats, ready to go!
Grandparents gave games and gift certificates, so the kids got new jammies, winter boots, and fun board games that have kept us busy for days now! We had the kids draw names for each other, to avoid the usual dollar store junk fest and get something worthwhile. They all loved the idea, but poor little Emme can NOT take suspense! She begged Victoria to tell her whose name she drew, saying "I'll tell YOU!", but Victoria said calmly, "no, we can't tell. you will find out tomorrow" well - when you are FIVE, tomorrow could be a hundred years from now! That must have maxed out her secret-keeping capacity, for later that evening, as I met Ben and Emme leaving our bedroom after their secret present-wrapping fiasco, she turned back to me in the hallway and said "You can move the pillows". I *hoped* they had not been cutting paper on the bed! Then it occurred to me - ben must have purchased the wonderful new sheets I had *hinted* that I liked as an anniversary gift. (Dec. 21st!) I was fine, though, with being surprised, so I did NOT move those pillows! Ben explained later that he had clearly stated to Emme, "Do not say ANYTHING to mom". (She had watched him re-make the bed). "What will you say?" "nothing" came the meek reply. She lasted 27 seconds. My sister sent a gift card for a grocery store, which allowed us to have a scrumptious holiday feast!
The feast went like this:
Appetizers ~ Cheese ball and crackers, pineapple/banana/lime smoothie, and fresh egg nog. Cream of broccoli soup introduced everyone to the table, followed by a spring green salad with goat chesse, walnuts and strawberries. The main course was (thank you, Five Alls, for the inspiration) tenderloin steak with Bernaise sauce, asparagus, and King Crab meat, (yes I steamed those huge crab legs. wow) mashed garlic potatoes and whole grain bread completed that course. And our friend Rey brought a very nice bottle of red wine to round out the elegant spread. Dessert was ice cream parfaits and petite cheesecakes that Ana brought, along with some cranberry pudding cake. Of course, no one wanted ice cream. OH! - and lefse, that my father's girlfriend(?) in Minnesota so sweetly sent to us! that made it really feel like Christmas.
At thanksgiving time, i found some velvet table runners on sale, so they were placed - 4 of them - on the table in a criss-cross pattern so that the end of each one served as each person's place mat. It was so pretty - that celadon green with the Christmas stoneware in greens and burgundy. I found tiny brass pears on ebay that were placecard holders, so the kids helped me fill and arrange those. Evergreen goblets purchased from Arby's 12 years ago for $.99 each gleamed on our Christmas table, and white linen napkins from an estate sale with a "j" monogram gave the appearance of martha stewart's handiworkwhen tucked inside of chubby gold napkin rings!
After clean-up progress was evident, we all settled in for gift opening, but Ana just *had* to stay in the kitchen and keep working- which was the best gift ever! Ben read from Luke, then prayed...his voice flooded with emotion as he thanked God for such a blessed Christmas. last year had been so sparse, and we only were able to let our kids open gifts because of the generosity of family and friends. We were all glad to see such bounty this year! Everyone was so pleased, and I was thankful we had not given the kids more. it was just enough to be appreciated, but not feel spoiled. ben gave me some new stainless steel pots and pans - which already are making dinner taste better! This week, the kids have been home playing games & watching movies, and it is so nice to have everyone together. The new year will bring many changes, I am sure. Luke will be home schooled, everyone will grow older and wiser, and we will adjust further to what often feels like a desert in more ways than one! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! Here is emme, having collected her small things she had used to leave a trail
throughout the house, in case she lost her way ~
The feast went like this:
Appetizers ~ Cheese ball and crackers, pineapple/banana/lime smoothie, and fresh egg nog. Cream of broccoli soup introduced everyone to the table, followed by a spring green salad with goat chesse, walnuts and strawberries. The main course was (thank you, Five Alls, for the inspiration) tenderloin steak with Bernaise sauce, asparagus, and King Crab meat, (yes I steamed those huge crab legs. wow) mashed garlic potatoes and whole grain bread completed that course. And our friend Rey brought a very nice bottle of red wine to round out the elegant spread. Dessert was ice cream parfaits and petite cheesecakes that Ana brought, along with some cranberry pudding cake. Of course, no one wanted ice cream. OH! - and lefse, that my father's girlfriend(?) in Minnesota so sweetly sent to us! that made it really feel like Christmas.
At thanksgiving time, i found some velvet table runners on sale, so they were placed - 4 of them - on the table in a criss-cross pattern so that the end of each one served as each person's place mat. It was so pretty - that celadon green with the Christmas stoneware in greens and burgundy. I found tiny brass pears on ebay that were placecard holders, so the kids helped me fill and arrange those. Evergreen goblets purchased from Arby's 12 years ago for $.99 each gleamed on our Christmas table, and white linen napkins from an estate sale with a "j" monogram gave the appearance of martha stewart's handiworkwhen tucked inside of chubby gold napkin rings!
After clean-up progress was evident, we all settled in for gift opening, but Ana just *had* to stay in the kitchen and keep working- which was the best gift ever! Ben read from Luke, then prayed...his voice flooded with emotion as he thanked God for such a blessed Christmas. last year had been so sparse, and we only were able to let our kids open gifts because of the generosity of family and friends. We were all glad to see such bounty this year! Everyone was so pleased, and I was thankful we had not given the kids more. it was just enough to be appreciated, but not feel spoiled. ben gave me some new stainless steel pots and pans - which already are making dinner taste better! This week, the kids have been home playing games & watching movies, and it is so nice to have everyone together. The new year will bring many changes, I am sure. Luke will be home schooled, everyone will grow older and wiser, and we will adjust further to what often feels like a desert in more ways than one! Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year! Here is emme, having collected her small things she had used to leave a trail
throughout the house, in case she lost her way ~ 
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