Christmas at Grandma's + Lila's Birthday

Christmas Day

Christmas day this year was so much different than it usually is at out house. For the first time ever, it was just me and my parents on Christmas morning.

I can remember, every year since I was little, my grandparents and Aunt Melissa would come spend the night Christmas night. Then, once Aunt Melissa was married, a new person was added to the mix every other year. When Paul was born, he started spending the night, too. Two years ago, Lila was born on Christmas Eve, and so the past two years it has been my sister & Andrew, my parents, and me. Since Emily & Andrew were married in November and moved into their new house, they wanted to be in their house on their first Christmas Eve and Christmas morning as a married couple.

All of that to say, Christmas was very different this year. Oh wait, did I already say that? Sorry. I'll get on with the pictures now.

Presents under the tree.

Christmas flowers.

Christmas goodies.

More Christmas yummies. Wait a minute! What are those chocolate-covered things?!

Oh those? They're the chocolate covered red velvet cake balls I mentioned yesterday, of course!

This is Honey. Honey Bunches of Oats, actually. Andrew gave her to my sister for her classroom (she teaches first grade), and she is so so cute.

I wish I'd taken more pictures. Actually, I wholeheartedly believe I did take more pictures, but somehow they're gone (I'm noticing a theme). Luckily, my dad got me a new memory card for my phone for Christmas, so hopefully it will work better for me. Hopefully.

Updated: Christmas Baking.

**Update** Morgan has posted some much better pictures on her blog. Click the picture below to see!Picture courtesy of the lovely Morgan.

**Original Post**

Here are some of the [very few] pictures that I got while baking at Morgan's house.


These first few are from when we made these read velvet cake balls.


Everyone who tasted them absolutely loved them [except Morgan, who was not impressed ;) ].






And here are a couple from the next day, when we made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for Morgan's family's Christmas Eve party.


Yes, these are made from Morgan's scrumptious recipe, found here.



PS: I recall taking many more pictures, but my camera seems to have eaten them :(

Yarn Stars

You may remember seeing this picture in a previous post. I made this adorable ornament for my mother, and she just loved it.


Well, here is where I got the idea.

And here are some more I made for my family.


They were so simple and quick to make, but everyone I gave one to was genuinely impressed. I think the smaller ones turned out the best. I think I may make more next year, but with sparkly yarn. Wouldn't they be so cute as gift box embellishments that they recipient can then hang on their tree?

Updates are great.

I've been busy, busy, busy lately! Here's a quick update of what I've been up to this past week:

• The kittens are both with their new family and are doing very well as far as I know.
• Monday, I met up with Morgan for the first time since the fall. We had lunch on the square, did some window shopping, and baked.
• Tuesday, I baked some a lot more at Morgan's house. A few other girls came over as well. That night, my parents and I, along with a some close friends, had dinner at Emily and Andrew's house.
  
• Christmas Eve (Wednesday), I went to the Candlelight service at church at 5. Then I went to Morgan's family's Christmas Eve party. Finally, my family (including Emily and Andrew) went over to the W's house to exchange gifts and just spend time together (they're family, after all).
• Christmas Day (Thursday), I woke up around 10 and ate breakfast. It was just my parents and I, so we just opened our stockings in the morning, and waited until E&A came over to open gifts around 2. It was a very relaxing day, but very different from any Christmas I've had before.
• Yesterday, E&A came over again around 6, followed shortly by some of my dad's side of the family. We didn't exchange gifts this year (I can't remember the last time we did with that part of the family), but it was actually pretty nice. We ate dinner and talked a lot.
• Today, I got my hair done with my mom for a good part of the day. Then I wrapped a ton of gifts.
  
• Tomorrow, we are going to go to my mom's parents' house to exchange gifts with that part of the family. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone open their gifts. I'm planning on taking a lot of pictures tomorrow, since I got a new memory card (and also since I've clearly been slacking with my photo-taking lately).

I'm hoping to get lots of pictures on here next week of all that I've been up to. I hope everyone has had a fantastic Christmas!

XOXO