Christmas 2009 - Part 2

Posted on Jan. 5, 2010 at 1:53 PM - Post Comment

Resuming my holiday recap with Christmas Eve...

Christmas Eve morning we got up and opened MORE stockings!

 



Grady's first Pez dispenser - a Buzz Lightyear one!



Then we opened more gifts that friends and family sent. This was an Imaginext Fire Station from Grandpy Bruce and Grammy Pat. When he saw it he said "just what I always wanted!"



reading a Cars book from Grammy Nancy



squeezing into a box for fun



Although we waited for him to open most of Nana and Papa's gifts until Christmas morning, we let him open the Fisher Price computer (the "Fun 2 Learn") on Christmas Eve. The thing is really cool because it has its own keyboard and programs but hooks up to the regular computer so the screen is bigger and easier to see. He loves it. It really does a lot and has several other programs you can get for it. He already has 2 programs which we have been enjoying.  You can do art, music, reading, counting, and science (his favorite, I think).

excuse the messy office - it is on its way to becoming a nursery





Later that day we made our traditional sugar cookies. Here he is rolling with Nana



And decorating with Mama

 

Gaga and Grandpa Schmidt got here around noon and once the cookies were baked, he decorated some more (with icing)



 

Grady took a mega nap that day, which was nice because we were making a big dinner. We had spice-rubbed turkey (our traditional recipe) with fruit and nut stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli, biscuits, homemade cranberry sauce, and gravy. For dessert we had fudge, cookies, cheesecake, and a snowball cake - all homemade!

Here is the table all set - I made the centerpiece from the slim pickings at the grocery store



The dessert spread



see my snowball cake on the far end? It was so pretty - covered in fluffy frosting and then coconut to make it look like snow.  I have to admit, I made it mostly because of how pretty it looked in the cookbook.



After dinner we gave G his tub and then got him in his jammies for a special story time, which I think should become a yearly tradition. We all sat on our sectional, next to the tree, and turned on the fireplace. We took turns reading him different Christmas stories, which is especially fun since I get him a different Christmas story every year and write a special message inside.

The only Christmas pictures of the 3 of us





With Gaga



With my Nana and Papa



I read him "The Grinch"



After Grady went to bed we set all the gifts out - they definitely didn't fit under the tree!



more of the gifts



Christmas morning up next!