First up, the annual Christmas morning photo on the stairs at 7 am (yes we had to wake the big guys!)
And then new for 2021...Covid tests for all!
All negative - a Christmas miracle :)
Then it was time to move to the living room...
And stockings for all!
Santa gave each kid some coal! Chocolate coal, that is.
This is my favorite Christmas morning picture...
Andrew has really long and wild hair, and I'm always telling him to push it out of his eyes, and Santa must have agreed with me because he brought Andrew some athletic headbands to wear. Andrew immediately passed them on to Maggie :)
Breakfast time!
This year we had cinnamon rolls, as usual, and a Christmas Morning Casserole that was meh.
And back for presents!
There's no photos of Phil, JP or I opening gifts because we all got new phones recently and were VERY happy with that. The little boys had to go outside for their last present...
Incomplete list of gifts if you're nosy like me :)
Then we went down to visit with Gammy and Grandpa to give them their gift from 5/6 of their children. It was a Roomba that they named Robby and are absolutely in love with - no more vacuuming for them!
We headed up to my brother's house in Westwood the next day to celebrate with some of my family. Sadly, one family was quarantining and one family was visiting with inlaws. The rest of us had all taken Covid tests and masked up to protect Grandpa.
Time for the crazy, rule-changing, fast-paced, competitive Sweeney Swap!
My sister created a slideshow of Christmases past that was very sentimental and lovely to watch. Then just like that, Christmas 2021 was over. I pray that next year we can get together, unmasked and untested like the good old days. The important thing is family, no matter what, and I am so so so grateful that we are all still together and healthy. Thank you Baby Jesus (and Happy Birthday!)
{Linking up with My Domestic Church for 7QT}
Thanks for participating! Looks like a great Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI'm curious how one plays the Sweeney Swap. Looks like fun. I love the photos with the excited faces. So fun. We usually make the kids stand on the stairs in age order and then march down, youngest first. Um, Santa didn't even arrive until breakfast was in the oven. It was all sort of weird - Curly was sleeping in the basement since Mini was still isolating. We just went to bed and said, AH, WE'LL BRING THE GIFTS DOWN IN THE MORNING.
ReplyDeleteMy sister in law, who is from Ireland, is a doctor. My dad is immunocompromised. My siblings give my folks lots of input. My brother announced that anyone with a booster could see our folks. We didn't have them in time and now anyone with a booster can get the latest variant so maybe they didn't really know what they were talking about afterall. Try telling them that. We were prepared to take a test before being together, but my sil and my brother have scared my folks into not allowing many visitors - mu sister was exempt from that, apparently because they all had the booster. Love that most of you were together. I hope we can all be together again next year. Reg tested positive yesterday and schools are still mandating that kids stay out for 10 days. He will miss several varsity basketball games. I really want to be able to make it to my friend, Joe's, funeral so I am really hoping that I don't get it. Anyway, love watching how you all celebrate. NEW BIKES! Awesome.