Christmas Day 2011

Here in Saudi Arabia Christmas is not a recognized or celebrated holiday.  So December 25th is a regular day.  The man loves working on holidays of all kinds because it usually means several people are off from work and he has a chance to get a lot of work done. 

I admit.  I threw a bit of a tizzy fit.  I just felt like we should celebrate ON the actual designated day together, and with The Man at work there would be no slowly opening presents together, eating a nice Christmas breakfast, playing with our new toys, watching movies, lazing around all day, etc.  So, although it was hard for him, he asked.  He got it off.  Yay!

We woke up at 5:00 in the AM on Christmas morning so we could skype with my family - who has a Christmas Eve party every year and is 10 hours behind us - and then we ventured downstairs for the opening of gifts.

The night before we had prepped the girls with a video message from Santa via PNP, an awesome website where you can customize a video of Santa with your childs name and pictures and specific information about them... it really is great.  I love Madeline's reaction when she sees herself in Santa's book and hears him speaking directly to her about her life.  We've done the PNP thing for two years now. We also made cookies for Santa, read some Christmas stories, and watch a Christmas movie. 

Christmas morning the girls were ecstatic, although Madeline's face has almost no surprise on it.  She seems to be catching on a little early (being only 3 years old) and questioning a lot of things.  Basically this means that if The Man and I wish to continue this lie with our children we need to be sneakier.  We plan to invest in a Santa suit this year for Paul and set up a situation where Mads may catch Santa in the act or something.

My family watched on skype while the girls opened their gifts, and then we said our goodbyes to them so we could continue our day.  Abigail and I went back to bed at 8:30 am (5:00 is waaaay too early for us) and slept in until 10:30.  It was pretty nice.  Then it was up to play some more. 

Paul made his delicious spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. We were able to skype with The Man's side of the family on Christmas day which was great too!

It really was a nice, relaxing and fun day, and we feel very blessed to have each other and feel so very fortunate to live the life we do.  I pray every day that others might experience the kind of joy I get to experience each and every day of my life with this amazing little family I have.  Merry Christmas!

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Merry Christmas 2011



Wishing all our family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love, Paul, Edith, Madeline, Abigail and Kitty                   

Christmas Playgroup

This past Tuesday we had a playgroup at our house.  It was actually supposed to be the week before, but Madeline had a croup episode the night before the morning of was not a very good morning.  Anyway, we postponed it until this week. 

Mads and Abs helped me get ready by coloring a sign for one of the games we played.  They are both very helpful and sweet. 

Our friends came over and we made a reindeer craft, using the kids handprints as antlers. Then we played some games - Pin the nose on the reindeer, Frosty's snowball toss, Stack the presents, and the kids danced to some Christmas tunes. Then the kids finished the activity off with some reindeer cupcakes.
Even though half our friends couldn't make it (due to the date change) we had a good time!

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Snowflakes

I love paper.  There are SO MANY things you can do with paper, and one of my favorite's is making snowflakes at Christmas time.  This year we discovered snowflakes in 3D! I can't WAIT to get back to the States to buy two sided silver and gold scrapbook paper for next year's snowflakes!

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Christmas Cookies

For many years I put my urge to craftify on the back burner for things like college and working full time. Now that I have a little bit of time of my hands (NOT MUCH, believe me) I am trying to fit in any kind of craftiness I can.
Hence... Christmas cookies for my friends and neighbors. It's also a really fun thing to do together as a family. Of course, this year Madeline's only interest in Christmas cookies was eating them.

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Sand Sledding

A common tradition here in Saudi - especially around the holiday season - is to go sand sledding. About 30-40 minutes outside the compound is this huge sand hill. At the bottom is the perfect place to set up camp for resting, visiting, eating etc.

Even though we don't own a sled (YET), we followed a group out today for our very first adventure in sand sledding and we had so much fun climbing up and sliding down the huge sand hill. I normally don't like sand, but it was really quite soft and the sand underneath the warm stuff was nice and cool. It was almost therapeutic. Dare I say... I am starting to acquire a tolerance for sand? I guess ANYTHING under the right conditions can be pleasant.

Paul got his first experience with using 4 wheel drive with the yukon (that was pretty fun actually).  It even made ME feel manly.  Some of the men took their big, manly vehicles up the hill and drove down (see pictures).  We decided against that (for now) since our Yukon is a little newer.  Maybe in a few years?

Madeline had a blast! She was on the hill as soon as we arrived. Someone let her and her friend K and K's mom borrow a sled and they had a great time sliding down.  I also brought some sand toys for the kids to play with.  We set up Madeline's toy tent - a perfect place for the kids to eat lunch - and we spent a few hours just having a great time!

Someone brought a Christmas tree so we were able to get some family shots in front of the tree, which I just LOVED.  A to top it all off... we saw a herd of camel on the way home, which almost felt planted because Madeline had been asking about it on and off all day. Yay.
Sand sledding will DEFINITELY be one of our yearly traditions while we live here in Saudi Arabia. We had a magnificent time. 

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Christmas Decorations Homemade

More homemade Christmas decorations!!

Madeline and I made a Santa, a snowman, and two reindeer for our front window.  We used paper, markers, crayons, scissors, cotton balls, and tape.  Madeline glued and colored the snowman entirely by herself.

Here is a wreath I bought last year that I spruced up with some glittery balls and ribbon.  A VERY quick craft to brighten up our dreary front door.

Here is our front window display.  We have received many compliments for our efforts from kids and parents alike. Madeline is very proud of her snowman. 

I had some pine garland from last year. It was just enough for around the living area entrance and up the stair banister.  I spruced it up with cooked playdough shaped like gingerbread men and painted.  I also curled some ribbon and layed it all over to add some shine and color.

One of my gingerbread men.  I hung these guys on all the shelves in the living room and dining room area and on the garland.

My coffee filter angel tree with salt dough cooked ornaments.  And that tree skirt?  It's an actual old white skirt of mine that I have always hated on.  Works nicely as a tree skirt!

We brought our advent house with us from the States. It was one of the only Christmasy things we thought would get through without any troubles.  We purchased our countdown santa and white glitter Christmas tree her at a couple of the craft fairs they have on camp this time of year.  There are a TON of crafty women and men on camp.

And finally, we did not make this one, but it is homemade and we love it.  Our outdoor wooden Christmas tree that we bought from a friend. Her and her husband are very talented.  We bought a yard pumpkin from them at Halloween.  They plan to do stuff like this for almost every holiday.  A very smart idea in a place like this and a great way to make some extra money for whatever reason you might want to.

Chocolate

Christmas time = Christmas candy = Chocolate!!

Here is Abigail after her very first piece of chocolate.  I think I did pretty good holding out giving her any for 11 months.  She really liked it... A LOT.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments 2011

When Paul and I first got married we had the idea to buy each person in our family an ornament each year.  Then, eventually, and by the time our children moved out and on to their successful careers and lives full of happiness and independent, wise thinking, they would each have their own set of ornaments for thier trees.  A fun, and common traditional idea.  It's kind of hard to find ornaments here in Saudi. Technically we could order them in advance and bring them back with us each year on repat, but up to this point (only our second Christmas here) we haven't thought that far in advance. We are learning.

In the meantime, we decided it might be fun to make our own ornaments. And we were right!  It was fun and will now be a yearly tradition.  Who knows, maybe we will do both. 

We went a little crazy with the cooked salt playdough this year so I won't post all of them, but here are some of my favorites:

 This year we decided to do handprints of the girls, the first letter of each of our names (Kitty included), and some random Christmas shapes (trees, reindeer, candles, etc.). 

 Madeline is quite the little artist and she always has a good time doing this kind of stuff...

 Paul is always a trooper and he participates. He agreed this was a fun activity and that we should do this every year.

Madeline at work... such an arteest!

Abigail spent the night cruising at lightning speed around the circle that is our kitchen, playroom, hallway, dining room.  She is always on the move... always.  

 Madeline doesn\t like to rinse her brushes in the water so we get a nice blend of colors here.  Paul thought even her paint palette looked like art so he snapped a shot.


Madeline's star

 

Madeline's circle art

 

My snowflake with lined glitter edges



Ab's handprint



A lovely tree painted by Paul

 

Mad's handprint

 

An oval that turned out looking like a pine cone, sort of

 

Paul's letter P.  Everything he painted (except the tree) was solid colors like this.
A display of his logical personality?



It was a great time together and we will do it again every year until the kids think it's no longer cool, which I hope will be never.

A Merry Christmas Eve!

This year we decided to have Madeline open presents and have our Christmas dinner on December 24th because here is Saudi Arabia the weekends are on Thursday and Friday and Paul had to go to work on Saturday (Christmas Day).  He didn't take the day off this year because he actually started his vacation on December 27th and will be home with us until January 26th.  We are so happy it worked out the way it did because it means Paul will be around when (It's starting to feel like IF) I go into labor.

So on December 23rd we made some cookies for Santa Claus to be laid out...

Madeline loves to help me make homemade cookies

Before bed we read a cute story my Mom gave Madeline last year called "The Christmas Key" - a modern day look at how Santa gets into people's homes if they don't have a fireplace with a chimney. The book comes with a neat, old looking key with a red ribbon on it so kids can hang it on the door. Only Santa can use it to get in and he can only use it to put presents under the tree - this is explicitely explained in the book so kids don't freak out I guess.

I also tried to explain to Madeline why we celebrate Christmas, that it is to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, but every time I asked her whose birthday it was she said, "Madeline!!" I guess that'll be stressed more next year when she understands a bit more.  

After Madeline fell asleep, Paul and I laid out her presents.

We were going to set out some cookies for Santa before bed with Madeline but she threw a fit and wanted the cookies for herself and could not understand why we should give any to Santa. So in the morning Paul and I put a bitten cookie and some crumbs on a plate with a note and the Santa key so it looked like he had been here.

Madeline noticing a half eaten cookie and a note from Santa with the key - she was very surprised.

Madeline usually likes to sleep in until 8:00 am but I couldn't wait so we woke her up at 7:00 am. At first she was not pleased with this, but when she saw the presents her attitude changed pretty quickly.

Madeline had a great time opening presents and she loved her new big sister chair. She ended up with her chair, a new stuffed giraffe, a bouncy ball with a handle on it so you can sit on it and bounce, a small furry ball, two puzzles, a barbie, a strawberry shortcake doll, a princess cup, a princess purse, an outfit and a sweater.

For breakfast we had pancakes and fruit and then we had a great day together watching movies, playing, singing Christmas songs, eating Christmas treats and just being together.  It was perfect!
For dinner Paul cooked the turkey - it was a 20 pounder (our only choice) - he always does a REALLY good job on the turkey and it is always juicy, and  tender, and scrumptious.

I made some gravy out of the turkey drippings and we had homemade mashed potatoes and vegetables to go with it.  I would have made myself some stuffing but I didn't find any at the store.  We had some vanilla ice cream with sprinkles for dessert (because my people aren't huge fans of pie).  It was the perfect Christmas meal for picky, simple eaters. 

After dinner we danced to Christmas music and then watched Polar Express together.  

Madeline dancing with her Daddy



Dancing

 It was a really nice Christmas. We missed our families, friends, and the snowy weather back in the states, but we were able to skype with my family during their Christmas Eve party and talk with Paul's side on the phone a couple of times. We are so grateful for technology and that we are able to talk with family and friends being so far away. 

Christmas Card

I had this list of things I wanted to accomplish for the year... specifically for the holidays.  Unfortunately, Christmas cards didn't get done and sent out.  So as a last minute attempt to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays, I threw together this card in photoshop.  Please, feel free to click on it and print it out!  Next year, I will do better. 

Merry Christmas from us! We hope you have an amazing, happy holiday season!

Cookies! Cookies! Cookies!

The other day Madeline and I decided it would be fun to make homemade sugar cookies and decorate them!  I am hoping to make this a tradition for the holidays for our family. We had a really good time - Madeline specifically loved covering her cookie in frosting and sprinkles, licking it off, and then doing it all over again and again. 

I recently purchased some Christmas cookie cutters from one of the holiday craft fairs they had here last month so we were excited to use our new cookie cutters!

Candy Canes

Snowmen

 

Stockings



Gingerbread Men (but not REAL gingerbread men)



Shining stars



All the cookies together


It took me several hours in between feeding Mads, entertaining Mads, and putting Mads down for a nap, but I love decorating cookies so it was a fun day and we were happy to share our cookies with some of our friends and neighbors! 

Ol' Saint Nick

I didn't think it would happen this year, but some people on camp had someone dress up and they did pictures with Santa! It was all planned and arranged very nicely.  Parents were supposed to drop off a well labeled, wrapped gift for their child before the actual Santa visit day and email something about their child so he would have something to give and talk about with their child.  I was very impressed.  The home they had the actual visit in was very beautiful with lovely music playing and decorated so perfect. 

This is Madeline's FIRST visit with Santa ever. It was last year at the Memphis Zoo, and it didn't really go over too well...

I was hoping this year would be a little different since she is older and understand a tiny bit more.  So we got Madeline all dressed up for her first memorable visit with Santa.  It doesn't take much if anything to make this little girl look perfect:

When we arrived Madeline was a little hesitant, but as soon as Santa said he had a gift for her she went running over and popped on his lap.  He talked to her about how she has a new baby sister coming and (with me feeding her answers) she replied.  Then she got really nervous and started shouting that she wanted me to come hug her.  So Paul and I went over and we got a family picture with Santa.  Then Mads got a tiny candy cane and we were done.  It was fun!

Here are some pictures from the event...

Madeline ran over for the present and Santa picked her up... this is her "what are you doing?" look.

  

Smile for the camera! Nope - more like, "mom, Mom, MOM! HUG! HUG!" But at least she didn't cry.




Family photo with Santa!

 

Tiny candy cane afterward - it was gone before we got to the car.