Christmas came early at our house!!

This was our "off" year as we call it around our place. One year we have our kids on Christmas Day and the next year they are with their "other parents". On the off year, we find a weekend in the month that works for everyone...this year it was quite early but nonetheless it was "Our Christmas" and it was tons of fun! To start off, we had a bit of tree dilema this year. You see, we got rid of our tree last year...it needed to happen. Old. Broken. Lights not working. Had to go. We thought since this was our off year, we would be "off" somewhere with the kids for our Christmas. Didn't happen. When we decided to just meet here...then there was the question of "what tree will we use??". I didn't want to rush into a tree purchase (especially since they will put them on sale later!!) so I just clumped a bunch of my trees that I use other places in the house/porch during the holidays together and this was the result. It worked. I missed seeing all my favorite ornaments, etc. but that will make getting them out next year even more fun! :)
The fun began on Friday night as soon as David, Ashley and Emma were able to get to town. Zach, Meg and the boys were here at the house waiting and watching! We had our traditional meal of snacks! We have done this for years. Everyone just brings holiday goodies and/or some new recipe they have been dying to try...we always have lots of goodies! Finger foods. Yummy!!! It is a continual feast on the island for hours...basically the meal last all evening!

After eating, it was time for our Traditional "Christmas Eve Hunt". The grandkids had picture clues. Pictures of different things in Bud and Honey's house. When they identified the item in the picture, they would run to that location and find another "picture-clue". After running all around the house, the last place was our bed where they found sacks containing Christmas PJ's and a new movie. The clue also told them someone might be waiting to meet them on the couch. When they ran to the couch, this is what they found: Owen got a puppy
Clay got a penquin...he loves penquins!
Will got a monkey, very fitting!
And Emma got a bee...couldn't resist Honey giving a bee!

Pillow Pets must be quite the hot item this year. The boys have been wanting one for awhile and so Bud and Honey decided to surprise them with one. It was so fun. It made me think back to a time when our kids wanted a Pound Puppy. It was the hot item one year and we couldn't afford to buy them. My parents surprised the grand kids with one and I can remember how delighted I was! To watch how thrilled they were! The four cousins played with those puppies all afternoon. Fast forward, we were able to buy the Pillow Pets and it was if I was watching my own kids years ago...our four grands were so delighted and snuggled and hugged on their little pets the whole weekend! What a fun treat for us!!

Then it was time for the "big" kids to do their Christmas Eve Hunt. I will readily admit that my rhyming skills are lacking. For some reason in the past, I have tried to write poems. They haven't worked so well. The kids have had fun making fun of me, which sadly, is deserved. I stink at writing poems. I would like to say, I have been doing this 30 plus years...so my ideas are running low. This year we provided them with a list of 50 words and the two couples had to write a Christmas story using all the words! It was adorable and funny and they had such fun that each year from now on, we will just provide them with 50 more words and they will have to write the next chapter! I am so excited!! It will fun to come up with the list of words and I don't have to come up with any more poems! :)

Here is a sweet picture of our "big kids" getting their instructions!
It was such a very fun evening! We ended the evening with the kids all getting in their new Christmas PJ's and reading a Christmas story before bedtime! Next blog...our "Christmas Morning"!!!!