Playing Catch Up

Instead of sitting down and being a responsible blogger, I've been enjoying the holidays and break a little too much, apparently, because here it is almost February and I haven't even documented December in our house.  Here's to playing catch up!!  The kids all had a visit with Santa during our church Christmas party.  Everyone was thrilled except Emma, of course. We tried to just put her with one of the siblings since that usually eases things for her, but even that didn't convince her!  This was really a fun year for Christmas anticipation because Jocelyn and Lillian really comprehended the whole gift exchange and Santa concepts.  And, on top of that we had some family visit us before Christmas.

Jonas with Santa 2013

Lillian with Santa 2013

Jocelyn and crying Emma with Santa 2013

In early December Jocelyn's 1st grade class (combined with other classes) had their Christmas performance.  She had prepared so much, was very excited to dress up, and was even chosen to do one of the speaking parts announcing the next song.  They did a fabulous job as it was about 45 minutes of solid singing and pretty much everyone participated and knew the words.

Jocelyn at 1st Grade Performance

Jocelyn's class at Christmas performance

After only 25 tries, we successfully took a picture of our family on Christmas Sunday with the automatic setting on our new camera.

Handsome Jonas by Christmas tree

Family on Christmas Sunday

Girls by Christmas tree

The Titus Family Point Lobos

So the weekend before Christmas we had my sister Emily and her family come visit us for a couple days.  We enjoyed having them join us for dinner and hanging out on Sunday afternoon.  We just really appreciated that they took the time to come down and visit us and see our new house after traveling across the country! Monday we took them to Point Lobos to walk around, enjoy the ocean/ scenery and a picnic lunch.  We, unfortunately, didn't make it for low tide since it was at 8 am and 8 pm which just realistic with all the kids to get out the door.  We still had lot of fun walking around and enjoying the rocky shore.  We had family home evening and a hot chocolate party that evening and then helped them make it out the door the next morning (so they could head back to Dixon for the big day) just in time to welcome Jared's sister, Kristina, and her family for the day.  Jonas was in heaven with all the boy cousins!! 

Sisters

Christopher throwing his rock

Michael found a hermit crab

The boys were in rock heaven. Throwing one after the other into the water

Hot Chocolate Party with Titus cousins

Lillian and Emma always happy to see each other!

The beautiful rocks at the beach

We were so lucky to spot 4 otter pups on the beach!!

Uncle Jeff "throwing" the kids into the ocean

Emma and Aunt Em keeping warm on the beach

Picnic Lunch

All cousins at Point Lobos

Boy Cousins at Pt. Lobos

Marcus at Pt. lobos...In his happy place on his Dad's shoulders

 On Christmas Eve we let the kids open the big kahuna gift early since they had cousins in town.  Grandpa & Grandma Otterstrom gave them a big trampoline for Christmas and since we had Cam here to help set up the tramp and Jared with a day off of work, we went for it.  The kids had a blast once it was set up and spent hours on there.  Even little Emma LOVES the trampoline and begs to go on there (supervised and not with a bunch of big kids).  Kristina made some amazingly delicious sugar cookies and we helped the kids decorate those to leave for Santa as well as magic reindeer food.  The sugar overload was definitely showing by the end of the day, but they had such a fun time being creative and individualizing their treats.  We made an easy dinner of Indian takeout and McDonald's Happy Meals for the kids (they were thrilled since I rarely, if ever, get these).  We finished off the night having everyone participate in acting out the Nativity story, singing some Christmas songs and opening "Christmas Jammies" from Grandma Diana.  The kids also exchanged their cousin gifts of "books" with the cousins who were here.  Then opened sibling gifts after cousins left that night.  We were so glad that Cam & Kristina were able to sneak in some time to spend with us on their trip to CA.  It made everything more special to be able to share it with family.

Carter Otter cousins Christmas cookies

Stella Lillian Christmas cookies

Otterstrom kids Christmas Jammies

Otter Carter Cousins Christmas Jammies

Whole Crew nativity Christmas Eve

Jocelyn as angel, Stella as Mary

The three wiseman during Nativity

Christmas morning the kids had fun exchanging gifts.  Probably my favorite thing to see was how excited Lillian was for the gift she was giving to Jared. When we were shopping at the local secondhand kids shop, Lillian had found a coffee table book about Otters.  The second she saw it (back in November) she knew she wanted to give it to Jared for Christmas. We had a ton of close calls where Lillian nearly let it slip that she had something that Jared would love and sometimes Jocelyn would stop her mid-sentence with a "Lilly!! Stop there or you're going to tell Daddy what you got him!"  Lillian always claimed she had it tucked away and it was never going to slip out, but she managed to make it to Christmas morning and as Jared was holding the gift about to unwrap it, she blurted out what she had bought him!  Here are all the kids with their "big ticket items" from Santa. They also got a train table that the neighbors kindly gave us since their kids outgrew it. 

Santa Gifts!!