Christmas #3: My Parents

MAS CHRISTMAS!

(we had 4 to be exact…this is the 3rd, we’re almost there).

Christmas with my Parents.

Not sure what it was about this year but I went all susie-homemaker on the gifts for my family…thank you Pinterest.

A giant ruler measuring-board for my sister-in-law.

DIY tie pillows: Lion and an Octopus for two of my nieces.

Dragon Tails for my nephew and another niece.

And an ABC Mixbook for my newphew where A is for “Auntie so and so” and almost each letter represents someone in the family’s name.

Food always seems to involve fresh bread (a la Tyler and I) and something that requires my mom to be oven-tending.

My parents have all the presents under the tree in the same wrapping paper but with a secret code – one for the kids to crack and another for the adults. We drag out presents as long as possible in this family…I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Whitney seemed a little overwhelmed at first by all the noise and bustling of the gifts. She would stop and come back to it throughout the day.  A very special present this year was a doll made to have the appearance of Down syndrome, and with a heart surgery scar on her chest.  Whitney was in love.  It was perfect!
My brother getting serious about this year’s code.  There are about a dozen or so identical presents for each couple that are all wrapped in cloth bags my grandmother made us throughout the years.  By feel we find all the “calendars” and so on to figure out what  distinguishes the groups.  My dad sits in the corner with his master list and a smirk on his face pleased to have his kids stumped – even if for only a little while.

A favorite picture of the night: all the cousins lined up on the couch for a movie. It wont be long that they’ll all fit, but I love it that they do now!