Xmas 2021

Unlike last Christmas, this Christmas we were able to gather with family to celebrate and share in good food too. It wasn’t much better as the COVID cases are rising rapidly again and test appointments and self-tests were hard to come by to ensure a safe and healthy holiday, but we made it - and hopefully with no positive future tests. 

Christmas Eve was rather low key. A walk with Sadie and some food at home as well as some prep for the busy Christmas Day and last minute holiday shopping. The kids exchanged presents and Sadie got a few treats but it was early to bed in anticipation for our busy next day. 

Christmas morning we woke at 7:30am to bake the French toast casserole and open presents before walking Sadie and getting all five of us showered and out the door by 10am.

This year, we decided to spend more money on our upcoming trips and go w/ less presents for the kids which meant less stuff and also less wrapping. Hailey still got a little more but her stuff costs less. Hailey’s favorite gift from us was probably her Squashville Lion set or her story writing books. Peyton loved all of her Lululemon outfits and her high school sweatshirts (that’s what the middle schoolers wear now). Austen hit a new virtual reality game that is so real it’s scary. I’m sure we’ll all have fun playing that. 

Then it was off to our first party at Grandma Lou’s House. We ate a big brunch, opened a lot less presents than last year (which was so much better) and headed home to host 17 people for Christmas dinner for Tom’s side. 

We had an hour in between for last minute prep and to walk Sadie before starting with drinks and appetizers and then partaking in a great meal. After that it was more presents and drinks and by then it was almost 11pm. All were tired especially us after a long full day. It took all day today to recover and clean up our house as well as put away our new gifts (less presents also means less stuff to put away). 

Can’t believe we survived another COVID Christmas. Glad to have been able to gather again in person and for everyone of our family members’ health this year. Merry Christmas! 

Caption: Present opening (Christmas morning and Eve):