Merry Christmas Eve 2013

Christmas growing up was always spent at my grandmother's house in Kentucky.  I don't miss the 10 hour drive in the freezing cold weather, but I have so many happy memories of times with my family over the years. Many of these memories I plan to keep alive through Allie and Ayden in the many Christmas' to come.

 

Ayden's first Christmas!!!  He was as cute as a an elf with his "Santa hat" as Allie called it. Allie was dressed up in her fancy Christmas dress. Thanks Jaelynne for the  adorable dress...it was a perfect fit!

 

 

 

Lots of family came over for Christmas Eve dinner. Papa Ray, Uncle Monte, Auntie Linda, Aunt Jess, Ethan and Whitney, Nana and Papa too!  We had an early dinner so we could leave enough time to open gifts and visit with family. 

Allie and Ethan were soooo cute at the kids table eating. Allie ate REALLY well.

What I remember most about Christmas Eve dinner isn't so much for dinner part...but the dessert part!  I remember the zillions of cookies my mom used to make and the fruitcake too. Fruitcake gets such a bad name...but I LOVE it!  Allie liked the sugar cookies we made...

...and our family's famous green Christmas punch!  Gulp!  GULP!

Ethan and Allie (and now Ayden too) always exchange Christmas gifts. Jess and I tried to get a picture of the two of them...this was the best we could do. Allie was happy to stand still and smile, but that darn flash ALWAYS makes her blink!  Ethan didn't want any part of standing next to Allie...let alone a smile. 

New Mickey jammies and a Micky cup for Ethan...

 

...and new peacock dress up stuff and a Sofia camera for Allie. Ayden got a new stacking set...for when he gets a bit older. 

After Ethan and Allie said goodbye, it was time for PRESENTS!!! "Wow, Mom!!!  LOOK at all those PRESENTS!"  Some Hammerick's were definitely spoiled this year!

"Presents for me?!?!?"

Ayden didn't do too much of his own opening this year. That's okay because Allie helped him out. And when I was feeding Ayden, she helped me out too. Ayden would have rather snuggled with everyone rather than open gifts. 

 

Ayden and my brother, Uncle Monte

 

 

Allie's loot this year!  Todd and I gave Allie a doll swing, a doll carrier and a new Cabbage Patch doll.  These were indeed my toys when I was younger.  Oldies, but goodies!  Papa Ray gave Allie a new pair of cheerleading shoes, a puzzle set and a whole bunch of Mr. Potato Head parts and accessories.  Nana and Papa gave Allie a calendar, a Sofia shirt, books, hat and gloves.  Auntie Ellen and Uncle Joe gave Allie a Hello Kitty towel, blanket, doll, jammies, book, water bottle, and other Hello Kitty snacks.  Thanks Uncle Monte for contributing to my college fund!  Thanks everyone for all the wonderful gifts.  This little girl was definitely spoiled this Christmas!

 

Ayden was spoiled, as well!  He got a crocheted blanket from Todd and I.  Nana and Papa gave Ayden a couple receiving blankets and an elephant pillow that match his bedroom.  Auntie Ellen and Uncle Joe gave Ayden a couple books and a Tot Clock for his bedroom.  Papa Ray gave Ayden DIAPERS!!!  Thanks Uncle Monte for starting up Ayden's college fund!  Thanks everyone for the generous gifts...Ayden says, "THANKS!"

 

 

This year I had not one plate, but TWO to do!!  It was hard enough to do one in the past. Taking Allie into a store full of BREAKABLE pottery, then painting her feet, cleaning her up, and keeping her occupied while I paint the rest of the plate...STRESSFUL!!  Now add a newborn in the mix!  Thankfully Nana and Auntie Ellen helped out and monitored Allie while I worked. The TWO plates came out sooo cute!  I can't wait to display Allie's on St. Patrick's day!

 

After everyone left the kiddos got changed into their Christmas jammies.  Our stockings were all hung up by the chimney "with care." 

 

Allie picked out the cookies she thought Santa would enjoy most.  We filled up a bottle with ice cold milk and a green straw.  We also picked out 8 carrots for the 8 reindeer that will be pulling Santa's sleigh.  Our friendly elf, Belle, told us to make Santa a Christmas card earlier this week...so we made sure to leave it out for him too.

 

 

 

 

Allie had NO problem falling asleep on this Christmas Eve.  She was whipped from today's adventures and overload of presents and cookies and punch.  Sweet dreams my two little miracles.  I hope you receive all you want from Santa.  I had a wonderful Christmas Eve with my three favorite people and my terrific family! 

 

Merry Christmas 2013 to all...and to all a GOOD NIGHT!

Bye, Bye Belle

As Christmas Eve approaches, our elf Belle's visit is drawing to an end. She will pack up her jingle bells soon and head back to the North Pole. We've all enjoyed having Belle around spying on us. Allie was a little afraid of her in the beginning, but now the first thing that she wants to do after getting out of bed is see what Belle left her in today's bag...and then find out where she's hiding. 

Belle appears to have had a good time these past few weeks in our home. She's found some fun toys to play with...

...snatched some yummy treats up from our pantry...

 

...and decorated our kitchen one morning with Christmas bows!

Belle brought a couple little gifts for Allie during her stay with us. Allie found Christmas sticker sheets a couple different days in her surprise bags, a letter here and there, a coloring sheet, and sometimes a Christmas craft to do.  Belle even surprised Allie with her very own nativity set that she could play with. Allie is learning what Christmas is really about. 

 

 

 

 

In her Christmas bags (she opened up one each day) Belle always left a note, and usually a little sweet treat too (Christmas candy corn, Hershey kisses, lollipops, marshmallows or candy canes).  Belle's notes to Allie told her what activity to do that day. She told us to go to the tree lighting celebrating, the christmas wonderfest, and the light festival. Belle told us to have breakfast with Santa.  She told us make a Christmas card for Santa and make christmas cookies too. She kept us busy this Christmas season!

Belle's note one day told us to make snowman pizza for dinner...
 



...and another day told us to make reindeer sandwiches for lunch (butter and jelly, Allie's favorite)!

 

 

My favorite was when she told us to have a family movie night and make Merry Munch...YUM!



 

 

 

The Hanmerick's sure are going to miss Belle when she flies back to the North Pole on Christmas morning. She's made many merry memories this Christmas season for us.

Bye, bye Belle...safe travels back to the North Pole. 

Merry Gingerbread Houses 2013

One of my new favorite Christmas traditions is making gingerbread houses with Allie...and now Ayden too. Aunt Jess always hosts the gingerbread house party. The kiddos and I came with our share of candy. Allie was as excited as ever to make her house. Ayden patiently waited his turn from his car seat, watching Allie and I work on her house. I built her frame and she did all the decorating this year...a step up from last year.  Allie was however, much more interested in eat the candy..."Mom, caaaan I eat this piece?" In between each piece of candy she stuck to her house. I'm pretty sure she sampled almost every variety of candy.

After Allie had a good start on her house, I made one for Ayden.  He supervised while I quickly worked away. The finished products were as cute as ever. 

The Christmas village of gingerbread houses. Allie and Ayden's were the two smallest (but sweetest) houses on the block. I guess they are living on a teacher's salary...maybe their gingerbread men got a paycut this year. 

Merry Bake Day 2013

Christmas isn't complete without Christmas cookies. Just a few days before Christmas, Nana came over for our annual Christmas cookie bake day.  We hauled up Allie's little table from her playroom to our kitchen and we GOT TO WORK!

This year we made two kinds of cookies together for Christmas...press cookies and cutout cookies. I tried a new recipe for the cutout cookies...HUGE SUCCESS!!!  Todd's new favorite (it's hard to find a sweet treat that Todd will actually eat). Our bake day revolved around Ayden's feeding schedule...we had to take a few breaks here and there.  It just about took all day...but we managed to get our cookies baked and decorated without making too much of a mess.

Allie was a GREAT helper cutting out and  placing the cookies on the baking sheet. She wanted to do all the sprinkles hershelf, but was happy to listen to professional sprinkling tips from her mom. 

Christmas cookie bake day: complete.