Christmas Catch-all, Catch-up, Catch-a-Reindeer

Truth be told, we've been extremely busy, and apparently a juggler of two big kids and all things Christmas I am not. Or at least not also including a blog entry here and there. This should have been about seven individual blog posts. Had I been a responsible blogger. A reasonable blogger. One who doesn't expect you to sit at your computer with your precious little tired-of-holding-your-credit-card-and-shopping-till-you-dropped-all-weekend hand at your mouse while you scroll.

Scroll for days.

And nights.

Of which there are only five to go. Five, ya'll.

So.

That does not allow for seven entries about all things Christmas tradition and otherwise Plunkett Holiday Season Fabulousness. Hence, a really freaking long post made mostly of pictures...and...you must scroll.

See? I was busy.
And we have cute kids to be busy with. Watching every single Christmas special ABC Family has to offer. In fact, we upgraded our satellite package this month after running only on basics for quite some time. Andrew would tell you it was for bowl season. I think it was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of the Misfit Toys though.

Christmas lights! Outside!

Two little red-nosed reindeer, smooching.

Hard at work, diligently unfoiling kisses...and only eating a few.

Oh, and we were busy with Grandma, who we miss VERY much. She was here for about three weeks, and it's a real bummer having her gone now.

She has a good lap, and lots of energy for story times, as you can see.

So, we decorated the house, as I displayed here. Hailey was a huge help this year, and quite opinionated about how things should be.

Keelyn mostly serenaded us from her post here in the living room. She plays the roll of Cindy Lou Who quite nicely.

We made a gingerbread house, which lasted only two days before it was completely dismantled for eating. Keelyn barely made it through decorating a cookie before having a panic attack at the sight of all that sugar she could not eat at that moment. Right then. Now. Sugar.

Once again, Hailey took the job seriously...

...and did quite beautifully.

At some point way back at the beginning of the month, packages arrived from Grammi and Mike containing what has enhanced our Christmas season fun so much...a Little People Christmas Village.

See? Hours upon hours of play.

And at one point, I found all of Santa's reindeer, some village people and Santa himself lined up in front of the manger. Upon asking what was going on, Hailey explained, "They are playing peek-a-book with Baby Jesus!" See him back there?...Peek-a-boo!

Then of course we made cookies at Nana's, and I have so many pictures of this I can't narrow down any further...so here they are...

And last, a letter to Santa...complete with stickers, and glue, and coloring too.
And a drawing or two.
The final word was not so final. Since this letter, Hailey has visited with Elfie on a daily basis to go over the things she would like to add to her list.
Hailey is quite concerned about how that Big Man is going to fit down our chimney, since, well, we don't actually have one. She's thinking he'll just walk on in the front door. She's also a little nervous about going to sleep on Christmas Eve, and who can blame her? What, with the prospect of a strange man letting himself in the front door at who knows what hour of the night?

And.

Keelyn thinks a snowman is coming too. Ask her if Santa is coming, and her response is something like: Yeah! Pes-sets. Socking. Ma-an. Getha.

Christmas with kids is the best.