Every year my family has a Fondue dinner when we celebrate "our" Christmas. It's usually just family--immediate family--on this night, but this time Lauren's boyfriend Colby and his Mom joined us. They fit right in. ;)
We've been doing Fondue ever since everyone was old enough to appreciate it...which has been a while now! It's an awesome tradition. We still talk about when Toby was with us for this night and expressed such sheer delight in the amount of meat present. This was also the same trip that he got such a kick out of the fact that our family actually sings together... ;) Wasn't that when Layla was about 3 months old? The Redwing trip? Anyway, good times...
Here are a few shots from the night. Jonas and I gave each other a high-five at dinner for having kids who are old enough to just play so we can eat like adults again. SO HAPPY to be in this stage of life. :)
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| Jonas making a good point or two... |
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| Evidently I got the light in this one!! |
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| This photo makes Andrea look weird. She is not weird. She is gorgeous. :) |
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| Playing with Uncle Greg's cool phone... |
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| Finn's favorite. |
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| Lovebirds. |
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| Henry might be a little sick. :( |
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| Finn having great fun with a balloon and a mirror. |
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| Playing intense games with Uncle Greg and Uncle Dan... |
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| All lined up to watch the kids open gifts! |
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| Finn looks sad, but I think he was just rubbing his eyes. Greg and Andrea got him a painting / print of him and Grandma. HE FLIPPED.OUT. So cute! I hope Renee got a picture of two of that reaction. :) |
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| How we ended/are ending the night, back at our place... |
Future Plans:
1. Christmas Eve = Church! I am so looking forward to this service. Then appetizer party at my parent's house.
2. Christmas Day = Our first "Christmas morning opening presents" experience with the kids (and Greg and Andrea, who are staying with us!) in our new house. I am going to make home-made cinnamon rolls for the first time, something I have shockingly NOT done by age 32! Each kid is getting 3 gifts, mostly used from Craigslist. I haaaate having to deal with Craigslist people, but I love getting my kids used toys. More bang for the buck, and a much more reasonable price for the old pocketbook. Then it will be off to Aunt Peggy's house around 1:00 or so, for Berube/Miller family Christmas. Again, the kids will be the only ones who get gifts, but the women do exchange ornaments...love that tradition.
3. THEN it's on to celebrating the 12 days of Christmas! Mom gives each kid 12 books, so they will open 1 each day.
4. Ending the Christmas season with opening our stockings on Epiphany, January 6th.
