One of the many downsides of living so far from family is that our kids never get to wake up on Christmas morning in their own house. Having put up with this in my own childhood, I was really determined this year to make up for it by making the preparations for Christmas really special. Unfortunately, a super-long Thanksgiving trip followed by the accident meant that we had to skip most of my favorite Christmas season memories–tromping through the fields to cut down a fresh tree, decorating the tree and the house as a family, making a homemade wreath with the extra branches, putting up my Grandma’s Christmas village, etc. The kids and I did our best with the fake tree and making Christmas cookies, and yesterday Tommy and I went to the craft store and made family stockings. But Derek works all week and we leave next weekend for our 2 1/2 week trek to the midwest, so today needed to be our “Christmas morning”.
Last night, we put the kids into their coordinating pjs, hung the stockings by the fireplace, and Derek assembled the kids’ present. We woke up this morning to a family snuggle in our bed, listening to the Christmas story from Luke, then we went downstairs to open stockings.
Then we trooped into the dining room to see their joint Christmas present–a brand new play kitchen!
It was a hit!
Then Derek read to the kids while I got our special Christmas breakfast ready.
I wish I could say the pumpkin cinnamon rolls were divine. The kids were so delighted to have refined sugar that they were pleased, but I won’t be making them again. I had to substitute 4 egg yolks for the two full eggs for Elizabeth, and even after adding twice the recommended liquid, the dough was too stiff to handle and never really rose, even after being out for three hours plus overnight in the fridge plus an hour in the morning. Then they didn’t taste that special. Oh well. They looked pretty on my Christmas dishes!
Next year I’m determined to do the full Christmas celebration with the real tree and everything. Stay tuned as we do this all again both in Royal Oak and Columbia in the next few weeks!
Love the kitchen. Where did you get it? Jay and I have plans to make one for Sam for his birthday. Hopefully we can get around to it!!!
It’s an Elves and Angels kitchen from Nova Natural. I really wanted something that was plain, solid wood, and hand-crafted in the USA, but unfortunately, we’re not exactly handy, so we had to pay $$ for something Jay could totally make! You still have time…!
Happy Christmas! My boys love their kitchen…wonderful investment. Let’s catch up soon!
PS…where did you get their jammies?!? They are adorable!
It’s so frustrating when cooking ventures bomb. 🙁
Still, the children look delighted with books, stockings, the adorable kitchen, and breakfast and that’s the important thing, right?!
Leslie, I got the jammies at Gymboree the week of Thanksgiving–they had a special on all their pjs, plus the store was having a 25% off everything sale, plus I had a 20% off total purchase coupon. I love getting deals! =)