Our Christmas: Part One

We enjoyed a lovely, white Christmas here at home. I love being in my own home for Christmas. Of course I miss seeing family, but there is something about creating those early Christmas memories for the kids in their own home that make them so special. Sleeping in our own beds, and starting a Christmas morning routine just the way we like it is something I really love. This year was another Christmas filled with happy kids and sweet memories. But we’ll get there. Let’s start a bit earlier in the season.

We managed to keep things festive this year despite my lack of energy.  I let the kids decorate their little Christmas tree the week of Thanksgiving because they wouldn’t stop asking to decorate. They got right into the Christmas spirit the moment those ornaments came out and sang carols as they adorned their little tree. I love having one for all their sweet ornaments from Christmases past.

I was so excited to take Ruby to the Nutcracker this year. A couple friends came with us and we made it a proper girls night with dinner and everything. We found an hour-long version that was just perfect for these little girls (and this pregnant mom). Fun night with my sweetie. I could tell the girls were a little start struck while taking pictures.

A friend of ours love the Santa at the Cherry Creek Mall, so we joined her. It’s not like me to fork over the money for these mall Santas, but there was a Frozen castle, fake snow and other fun things, so the kids really loved it.

Like last year, we opened a Christmas book every day in December leading up to the big day. It’s a fun little advent activity, and really gave the kids a good idea of the days left until Christmas. A calendar with their names on the day it was their turn to open helped too.

I didn’t bake nearly as much as past Christmas seasons, but I managed to squeeze in treat or two.

Costco is our usual go-to for our fresh Christmas tree, but they were sold our the weekend after Thanksgiving. Weird. But Lowes had a great supply, and the kids loved helping pick one out. Or play around in the trees. Either way, they had fun.

Our ward Christmas party was chaos as those parties tend to be with kids running wild. But it was fun nonetheless with a Santa, a talent show, and delicious food.

Decorating the big tree is always stressful for me. The kids are so excited with all the ornaments, etc. they just start going crazy throwing things on while I try to make sense of everything. Next year, they’re going to wake up to a decorated Christmas tree and be none the wiser.

Cookie decorating with the Charvats. So much sugar consumption. Not pictured is Alex’s “ninja-bread man”.

Gotta take the Sunday before Christmas pics, of course. Silly kids definitely make pictures interesting.

The phone had a couple more goodies. The kids even got one of us.

The kids loved wrapping “presents” and putting them under the tree. Sometimes it was for Blue Bird’s or another toy’s birthday. But this time, Alex arranged a Girl Play Date for Ruby and me, and wrapped these presets for us to open. We were spoiled that day. I love Alex’s surprises. He is full of them. Bennett joins sometimes too.

Bennett just doodling with the Wise Man hat on.

This is the first year we let the kids sleep by the tree. Usually KC and I set up a bed for us after the kids go to sleep. But needing my own bed these days, and the kids being older now, we decided to let them give it a try. They put a bunch of toys and other trinkets around them and settled in.  Only a few minutes had passed when Bennett got up and said, “Good night you two” and was off to his own bed. Within the hour Ruby did the same. When Alex woke up and found himself alone, he was a bit teary, but decided to be festive and stick it out. He slept there through the night by himself. We’ll see what happens next year.

There was much more fun with gingerbread houses/pajama days at school, sugar cone Christmas tree decorating with friends, work and neighbor parties galore, and many festive art projects that are hung all over the house. These kids definitely know how to embrace any holiday, but especially Christmas. Next up is the big day!

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

Welcome to our Christmas Card post/recap of our 2014! It’s definitely been a memorable year for the Robinson family full of a lot of excitement and craziness as usual. Never a dull moment over here! We’ll start at the beginning of the year.

We loved spending our first Christmas in our new home. We made a lot of memories and started some new traditions, along with continuing some old ones. Kids really do bring so much magic to Christmas time. The triplets are at such a fun age for holidays. They love to celebrate and although it can be exhausting for mommy here, we love watching their young eyes light up as they experience all the wonderful things this time has to offer.

The day after Christmas, we piled in the car and drove to Utah to spend the New Year with our families.  The kids rode the North Pole Express with Grandma and Grandpa, we rang in the New Year with fireworks, got a visit  from the New Year Baby, and as always, ate plenty of delicious food. I also chopped about 10 inches off my hair. It was a great trip, and the perfect way to have our own family Christmas at our home, and still feel like we were with our families for the holidays.

We decided to take another trip to Utah during our Spring break. Both of our entire families would be there (from Hawaii, Colorado, and Maryland) so we couldn’t pass up the chance to play with all the cousins. Another eventful trip with more fun than we could handle.  Pedicures, swimming, ice skating, trampoline jumping, birthday parties, bouncy slides in the front yard, and much more. Even after living in CO for over a year, we’re still happy to be so close to these people we love.

In June we celebrated the Triplets’ preschool graduation! It was hard for all of us to say goodbye to their teacher that we loved dearly. The kids really grew a lot that year. It was such a good change for the triplets to start school, we’ll never forget what a great experience it was for the whole family.

For the first time in about six years or so, I decided to take on a little work outside the home. I started teaching pastry classes at a little shop right here in Town called Al Dente. I only taught about 2-3 times a month for a few months, but it was great to get my hands back into my pastry roots on a professional level. I even invited my dad to help with the Father’s Day doughnut class!

The summer quickly flew by, and all of the sudden, it was time for school to start again. This was a big year for my Kindergarteners! They love their teacher, and have learned so much already. It was a bit of an adjustment with the new big school and new friends, but these kids are resilient, and adjusted well. I love that they love to learn. Here’s hoping that attitude continues throughout the years.

Not long after the start of school, we announced our most exciting bit of new of the year. We’re having a BABY GIRL! We couldn’t be more grateful, excited, and relieved that she is going to join our family. We are incredibly blessed to be given this opportunity again, and this little girl will be loved like crazy. The kids ask about her multiple times a day, and are already showering her with hugs and kisses. She’s due to arrive the first week of April, and that day can’t come soon enough.

In September, I made a trip to Utah by myself to see my twin sister Melody’s new twin boys! I love that we share this experience of mothering multiples and love those boys so much. A few weeks later we went as a whole family to see the new additions. It also happened to be during Melody’s and my 30th birthday, and the babies’ blessing! So many big occasions to celebrate, and we loved being with family for all the fun.

KC has been well and continues working with the same company. They have plenty of work to go around and he’s happy there. Between that and his church calling he’s a pretty busy guy, but we never feel like we lack quality time with the man of the house. We don’t know what we’d do without our superdad.

As the year is wrapping up, I have been reflecting on the blessings we’ve seen in our lives these past months. Our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ have been to thank for our happiness and their love for us has given us the strength to get through both the small and large challenges that life has given us this year. I love closing the year with Christ’s birth fresh in my mind. I love watching my children gain a better understanding of His love for them, and how important He is in their life. I love the Lord, and pray for others to feel the power of his love in their lives as well.

Merry Christmas!

Love, the Robinson Family