Christmas Q & A

Happy Tuesday!   It was weekend at the Klinginsmith house.  4 out of five of use are recovering from being sick for the last week.  Today I'm joining up with The Blended Blog and answering some fun holiday questions.

1.  Real or fake tree?  Fake.  I'm not opposed to a real one (I've actually never had one), but it seems like it would be a lot of work.  I love the smell, but don't want to clean up the needles.  Also, I love being able to have our tree up for over a month.

2.  Favorite Christmas cookie?  Chocolate crinkles and my Grandma's press out cookies

3.  Home on Christmas morning or travel?  Home. Santa visits our house.  I wish we could stay home and relax all day, but at least we get the morning.

4.  Clear or colored lights?  Both. I like the clear lights on my tree and colored lights outside.

5.  Send Christmas cards?  Yes!  I love sending and receiving.  

6.  Favorite Christmas present received?  Kaitlyn!!  Her birthday is five days before Christmas.  Becoming a mom just days before Christmas will always be my favorite present.

7.  Favorite Christmas present given?  Not sure I have a favorite.

8.  Stockings or no stockings?  Stockings are must. The question is who fills them, Mom or Santa. I always thought the they were filled by the parents, but Kaitlyn recently informed me that they are filled by Santa.  

9.  Christmas PJ's?  The kids always have matching or coordinating PJ each year. At least one pair comes from our elf, Sally.  

10.  Favorite Christmas carol?  Mary Did You Know.

11.  Favorite holiday tradition?  Every year (usually on Black Friday), we go to Crown Center and Union Station.  The kids love seeing the lights and playing outside on all of the toys. We always visit the toy store, Santa and the big Christmas tree.

12.  Early shopper or last minute?  I really try to be an early shopper, but it seems like there’s always something I need to get last minute.

13. Favorite Christmas movie or show?  Home Alone, Polar Express, and Christmas Vacation

14.  Favorite holiday beverage?  Eggnog, hot chocolate, and peppermint mochas (I drink the ones from Caribou all year.).

15.  Cookies and milk for Santa?  I didn't get to believe in Santa when I was little.   I've always felt like I missed out on some of the magic of Christmas.  I've made sure that my kids get to have this little bit of magic.  That being said, we always leave milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. The type of cookie varies from year to year.

Halloween 2017

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays.  What's not to love about it?  There's decorations, special crafts and parties, costumes, candy, trick or treating, and it's the official start of the holiday season.  This year Halloween was a little different.  There were several things that we would have like to have done, but before we knew it the month was over.  We didn't make it to the pumpkin patch or Boo at the Zoo because of the cold weather.  We didn't carve a pumpkin.  (Something that we have yet to do with the girls even though we plan to every year.)  We didn't have themed costumes for the kids. 

However, there were several things that we DID do.  Our house was decorated inside and out.  All three kids had costumes and got to wear them several times.  We made it to Trick or Treat Village at the doctor's office and trick or treated Gram's house.  We had special food and made several crafts.  And we went trick or treating with Grandma Kathy and Papa Dave.  Our new neighborhood was an awesome place to trick or treat.  There were a couple hayrides, firepits, popcorn machine, and even a house with adult beverages.  All this on a night that was freezing with snow flurries.  I can only imagine what it is like when the weather is warmer.   We're already looking forward to next year!

Trick or Treating at Gram and Papa Chuck's house

Gram

Our first footprint craft with three kids.

Graham cracker ghosts for snack in daycare.

Halloween night before trick or treating.

Happy Halloween.  Now bring on Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Easter Weekend 2017

I'm only a week late posting this, but here is a recap of our Easter week.  Most of it has been written since last Monday.  I just never could get it finished.  Here's a recap of our Easter week.  
We actually started the weekend before Easter with an egg hunt at Liberty Hospital (our local hospital).  We missed Madi's age group, so she hunted with Kaitlyn.  There was a an ambulance, police car, fire truck, and lots of other activities.  This was their first public egg hunt and they had so much fun!  We will definitely try to make it next year.

Madi's first time seeing the Easter Bunny.

Wednesday evening. my mom came over and we colored Easter eggs.  This is a tradition that has only been skipped one time that I can remember.  My mom can only remember skipping one year too.  

She said that she liked hard boiled eggs.

She decided that she didn't.

Our Easter weekend started off with a trip to the doctors office for Kaitlyn.  She had complained a couple it times that her throat hurt and since she had strep throat just two weeks ago, we wanted to make sure it was gone.  To our surprise (and her doctor's), she tested positive for strep again.  So for the second time in three weeks, she is on an antibiotic.  We really thought that we would have to cancel some of our weekend plans.  We tried to make her rest, but that was pretty much impossible.  She kept telling us that her throat didn't hurt, so we went ahead with our plans.  Weirdest case of strep I've ever encountered.

Saturday afternoon we headed to my mom's house for their second annual nest hunt.  Instead of looking for eggs, the girls searched the house for the contents of their Easter baskets from Gram and Papa Chuck.  It took Madi a few minutes to get into it, but once she did there was no stopping her.  They had a lot of fun and were on a major sugar high.

After a late lunch we headed home in hopes of relaxing, but there was just too much excitement in the air.  Just before bed, Kaitlyn wanted to leave some carrots and notes for the Easter bunny.  Bedtime was much easier than expected.  We may have told them that he wouldn't come if they got out bed.

As soon as their alarm clock turned green, the girls were up checking out their Easter baskets.  I wish I could have caught it on video.  They were so happy with what was in them.  By the time I made it to the living room, they had pretty much gone through everything.  Of course, I had them go through them again so that I could snap some pictures.

After a quick breakfast, I headed to church while the girls stayed home with David and watched their new movies.  They normally go to church with me, but I knew it would be crazy there and they had been sick.  We thought it would be best for them to rest a little before heading to David's parents house that afternoon.

As soon as we got to my in laws house, the girls and their cousin started looking for eggs.  Shortly after that they opened their baskets from Grandma Kathy and Papa Dave.  The rest of the day was filled with eating, playing outside, eating more candy, and watching a movie.

She's becoming a pro at egg hunting.

Easter baskets at Grandma Kathy and Papa Dave's house.

Madi playing with her cousin Ava.

Kaitlyn and Noah

Happy Heart Day

I'm not sure if it's because I worked at a card store all through high school and college or if it's just too commercialized, but Valentine's Day has never been a big deal to me.  We do celebrate it (David usually does a little more than me), but it's usually very low key.  I typically make some kind of Valentine's dessert and buy a card (though I didn't this), but that's about it.

Valentine's Day 2015

I do, however, love to make it special for my girls and the daycare kiddos.  This year their day started with heart shaped cinnamon rolls.

They had peanut butter and sprinkles sandwiches for lunch

and these yummy treats for snack that Kaitlyn and Madi made last night. 

We also made a Valentine's Day craft and most of the kids brought Valentine's to share with their friends.

I did decorate our house  for the holiday.  Nothing major, just a few simple decorations for our newly painted fireplace, kitchen, and the front door.  All of our decorations are pretty simple and many of them are from my days working at the card store.

Started this last year and finished it this year.

I totally forgot about buying the heart banner last year (Target, of course) and couldn't pass up the XOXO banner when I saw it in the dollar spot this year.  I think they look good together.  

My three Valentine's