Advent: Week #4

Day 21: Ediger Christmas (see previous post)

Day 22: Christmas Movie night. We watched My Secret Santa, a Hallmark-esque Netflix holiday show.  It was actually pretty good. 

Day 23: Go out for tasty drinks.  We headed to Midnight Readers bookstore and coffee shop in Apple Creek.  We enjoyed looking at books – even picked up some last minute Christmas gifts AND saw Sandy there! – and sipping some drinks.  Ellie held off for butterbeer at Treemont Coffee House; we were headed there to pick up a gift card for Jeremy anyway – two coffee shops in one day!

Day 24: Christmas Eve Service.  This is always a special night at church – from the music to the tree to the church family to the candlelighting service.

    

It’s all ready for the next day….

    

Day 25: Christmas day!  Celebrate Christmas with your family!  We woke up and opened stockings while the monkey bread baked in the oven. 

Breakfast

    

Then, we opened gifts.  The girls gave us ours first.  They wrapped up 11-12 of Jeremy’s coffee travel mugs and tucked a gift card into one of them. 

They wrapped up some of my clothes from my closet so I would have something to open and then gave me some nice gifts – a handmade calendar and a nicely presented list of 6 meals that I can make (with Ellie’s help) this year. 

The girls gift each other their gifts.  They enjoy giving them as much as getting them.  It is neat to see the thought they put into each gift. 

    

Pepper even got a gift this year – a new ball to hold hidden treats. 

    

After lunch (spaghetti and meatballs), we packed up and headed on our epic adventure to…. New York City.  (post to follow)

Ediger Christmas

This started on Saturday night (day 20).  We hosted everyone at our house.  I enjoy opening our house to let people come enjoy it.  I kinda feel like what is the point of having space and a redone kitchen if I don’t use it.  That said, I am much more open with family.  Somehow, I feel more pressure when I have friends over to have things “just so.” 

For this night, we decided to do appetizer night/finger food night – sliders, potstickers, pizza dip, crusty bread, charcuterie board, floats, and veggies.  Everyone was hungry before the food rolled out.  And then it was well eaten!  We hung out, talked, ate, ate some more.  Then, we made time to play Guesstures as a group.  Team 2 won a small trophy as these boys are excited about!

    

A little gift the boys left us…

On Sunday we got together at mom and dad’s house.  We were a little late… dad was looking out the window – when asked what he was doing, he said he was waiting on his daughter who was late. 

I was late, but I had dropped off breakfast stuff and went home to grab things.  I had forgotten that we take pictures before breakfast could start.  My bad.  Here are the family pictures (somehow I am missing Ben’s family??):

         

Then, we enjoyed coffee cakes, fruit, and egg casserole.

Dad read the Christmas story from Luke this year.  Mom shared her thoughts, written at some obscene hour in the morning, as it is every year.  It was a good opportunity for people to share thoughts and reflections.

    

Then, we opened gifts.

         

   We started the 3-part stocking opening before lunch, had lunch, and then finished it.  We found a team to put together a section of a puzzle to reveal a picture and a date.  It was a gift of a summer vacation to Virginia Beach!  It will be so much fun to anticipate this week. 

         

A group headed to the middle school for a exercise break – some 5-on-5 basketball – without any injuries! 

Then, we headed back for a light supper and more hang out time.  It was nice this year since no one had school the next day.  Christmas was what I appreciate – time with family, opportunities to create memories and build relationships. 

Advent: Week #3

Day 14: Try something new.  We used a cookie press I had inherited from my Grandma Jantzen.  Mom doesn’t remember her ever using it, but I saw it when we were cleaning out their house and thought I should try it.  So, we made spritz cookies for Ellie to share with her friends.  Some were easier to press out than others, but it was a good experiment. 

         

Day 15: Dip ritz bits with Grandma.  This was later in the day.  Madison had her last driving lesson with her instructor til 5pm, so they dipped Ritz at 7pm. 

Day 16: Shop for a food drive… which was actually over, so we donated the food to People to People at church.  We went to Sav-a-Lot and all got a stack of groceries to give.

Day 17: Get crafty.  We made a little puff ball bookmark with yarn.  Not sure anyone will use it, but it is kinda cute. 

Day 18: Snowman Pancakes.  We invited Bess and her four kids that are so much fun, along with Ben, Steph, Cale (didn’t come because he wasn’t feeling well), and Landen. 

Jeremy was out of town with work this year, so I learned to do sausage links in the oven (very good).  Ben helped me flip pancakes. 

And the kids (and adults!) went crazy with the toppings.

                                   

Day 19: Wrap gifts.  The girls like this one.  They wrap each other’s gifts and cousin gifts.  Because they wrap for each other, they do it in different rooms, but provide commentary the whole time.  It makes it a social experience.

Day 20: Postal elves.  We stuffed and stamped Christmas letters to send out.  This is a pretty efficient task with everyone working at their determined task.  We still send out about 80 cards to people in church and those farther away.